^^"^o. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0  [fi^lS^ 

^^  lit  Itt    12.2 

"^^  S  lit    ■" 

1.1  1.*^  N- 


IL25  iU   11,6 


ol^ 


7 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4S03 


f:<i^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
tha  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I     I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommagte 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^  at/ou  peiliculAe 


pn    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 


Cartas  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


r~y  Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 
D 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  w;th  other  material/ 
Relii  avac  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutias 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsqua  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  4t«  filmtes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normala  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


|~~|   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagAes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  et/ou  pelliculies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxe« 
Pages  dicolories,  tacheties  ou  piquies 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prin 

Quality  inigaia  da  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materic 
Comprend  du  mat6rial  supplimentaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 


r~~1   Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I     lyPages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

Lid^p 

I      I   Pages  detached/ 

r~K  Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

|~~|    Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I     I   Only  edition  available/ 


I     V  Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
l^d  slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  Image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6x6  filmies  6  nouveau  de  faqon  6 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


0 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppi6mentaires: 


Irregular  pagination  :   [i]  -  xviii,  [17]  -  359,  [3],  [2i  (1  j  •  86  p. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


lOX 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

SOX 

J 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  fllm6  fut  reproduit  grflce  A  la 
gtnArositA  de: 

BIbliothAque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  Images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Las  images  sulvantes  ont  6t4  reprodultes  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  l'exemplaire  f  llmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 


Original  copies  In  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  Impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplalres  orlginaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  Imprlmte  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  termlnant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustratlon,  solt  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplalres 
orlginaux  sont  fllmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernldre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —►(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  Included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  Illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernldre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
fllmfo  A  des  taux  de  rdduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trcp  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cilchd.  II  est  fllmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rleur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  has,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessalre.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
lllustrent  la  m^thode. 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Utkifit.. , 


o 


w 


X 

o 


\ 


s 


# 


FRANK    FOUESTEU'S 


fISI  AND  FISHING 


U  N I T  E  D  S  T  A  T  E  S 


,,A' 


'■^'l^niSK  PROVINCES  OF  NOirUl   AMEKICA. 

ILLUSTRATED  iRolA  NATURii   BVT   THI:i   AUT/iOR. 


inniiV   ffllllAH    liERBEBT,       \ 

iUTHOR    OF   "  FIKLD    srORTS,"    "  WAIIWICK    WOODLANDS,"    BXJ?- 


s. 


A  M  1'  I.  K    s  r  1'  r  L  E  M  !:  >•  t    n  f    t  n  ::    a  tr  t  n  o  r  . 


*    V 


N  E  W    Y  0  R  K  ; 
RINGER    k    T  0  W  N  8  e  N  D  ,    222    BROADWAY. 


A 


FRANK    FORESTER'S 


FISH  AND  FISHING 


or  THB 


UNITED  STATES 


4RD 


BRITISH  PROVINCES  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


ILLUSTRATED  FROM  NATURE  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 


^»^^H^^H^f>^M^»*^^»^M^^l^^^*N/^J««^l^»^M^*N/S^^^^^^»^»** 


HENRT   WIllIAM   HERBERT, 

AUTHOR  OP  "FIELD  SPORTS,"  "WARWICK   WOODLANDS,"    RTO. 


CQirU  BMtion,  BrtiaeH  tnH  Zont.Ut,  6iCt(  an 
AMPLE     SUPPLEMENT     BY     THE     AUTHOR. 


NEW    YORK: 
STRINGER   &.   TOWNSEND.  393   BROADWAY. 

1855. 


i 


Enterod  nccordiniy^  to  Art  of  Gonisp-osH,  In  tlie  jonr  1349. 

ii\  srfilNGER  AND  TOWNSEND, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  tlie  Dwtrict  Conrt,  for  tlio  SoutUorn  Dutriot  of  New  York. 


vV 


Co 
FRANCIS   SURGET,    Esq., 

OF    NATCHEZ,  MISSISSIPPI, 

eiiU  tnVotlt,  on  ttc  ffl»%  rati  jrisblng 

of 

Novtli  iiltnevfca, 

Ss  ttDKcateh,  iiotli  an  to  an  attient  and  (ntiUlsnit 

_  Svottsman, 

SlnO  a  ifCrm  jFvlenO, 

33fi  (is  j^cfenti  anil  Sberte't, 


Frank  Forester 


TBI  CiDAmii  Angnit  38,  1849 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


In  offerinir  this  work  to  the  public,  I  have  little  to  >ay,  aa  its  charac- 
ter speaks  for  itself,  but  to  indicate  the  sources  of  the  information 
which  it  contains,  and  to  give  credit  to  those  who,  by  their  works,  let- 
ters or  conversation,  have  aided  me  in  its  execution. 

And  first,  I  must  express  my  sincere  gratitude  to  my  friend,  Pro- 
fessor Agassiz,  who  kindly  afforded  mo  every  assistance  in  his  power, 
with  free  access  to  his  fine  library,  and  unrivalled  collection  of  fishes, 
from  which  most  of  my  drawings  are  taken 

To  my  friend  Mr.  Perley,  of  St.  Johns,  I  am  indebted  for  much 
valuable  and  interestmg  information  in  regard  to  the  fish  and  fisheries 
of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia ;  and  to  Mr.  DeBlois,  of  Port- 
land, for  a  communication  respecting  the  great  Trout  of  Sebago  Lake, 
in  Maine,  which  was  probably  a  distinct  variety,  though  the  fact  can 
not  be  easily  now  ascertained — the  noble  fish  being,  alas !  extinct. 

To  Mr.  Yarrel's  fine  work  on  British  Fishes,  to  Hofland's  British 
Angler's  Manual,  to  Richardson's  Fauna  Boreali  Americana,  to  De- 
Kay's  Fishes  of  New  York,  to  Soyer's  Cooking  Book,  I  thankfully 
record  my  indebtedness  for  exti'acts  more  or  less  copious. 

All  the  cuts  were  drawn  by  myself,  on  wood,  either  from  the  dead 
fishes  themselves,  or  from  original  drawings  in  the  possession  of  Pro- 
fessor Agassiz,  lent  to  me  for  this  purpose,  with  the  exception  of  the 
True  Salmon — ^which  is  copied  from  his  beautiful  work  on  the  Fresh- 
Water  Fishes  of  Europe — of  the  Arctic  Charr,  or  Masamacush,  and 
the  ArcUo  Grayling — which  are  taken  from  Richardson's  Boreali  Ame- 
1 


V 


y\  ADVBRTIREMENT. 

rioana— of  the  Salmon  Trout— taken  from  Yarrel—and  of  the  Lake 
Trout  and  Pike  Pearoh,  from  DeKay's  Fauna  of  the  State  of  New 

York. 
For  the  fidelity  and  exooUenco  of  the  engraving,  I  am  indebted  to 

Messrs.  Bobbett  &  Edmonds,  and  Brotherhead,  by  whom,  with  one  or 
two  trifling  exceptions,  all  the  cuts  have  been  executed. 

To  the  Messrs.  Conroy  I  have  to  record  obligation  for  preparations 
of  the  fine  specimens  of  various  Trout,  Luke  and  Salmon  Flies,  which 
are  engraved  in  this  work ;  and  I  take  this  opportunity  of  strongly  and 
cordially  recommending  them  to  all  my  friends  and  readers,  as  deci- 
dedly, in  my  opinion,  the  best  rod  and  tackle  makers  in  the  United 
States. 


^\ 


A  Second  edition  of  this  work  having  been  already  called  for,  I  have 
taken  the  opportunity  carefully  to  revise  it,  and  correct  the  unavoida- 
ble errors,  so  far  as  I  have  discovered  them,  which  must  occur  in  a 
book  treating  of  a  subject  so  comprehensive  as  mine.  '  ' 

A  tour  through  the  north-western  lakes,  during  the  past  summer 
and  autumn,  has  given  me  opportunity  to  observe  the  habits  and  cha- 
racteristics of  many  fish  which  previously  I  had  known  only  by  report 
of  others — to  collect  information  relative  to  the  mode  of  taking  them 
— and,  hence,  to  verify  or  correct  opinions  heretofore  expressed. 

A  work  of  this  nature  must  necessarily  be  more  or  less  compiled,  aa 
no  man  can  be  expected  to  have  fished  in  every  State  of  the  Union, 
or  to  be  personally  acquainted  with  the  fishes  of  each  and  all.  To 
relate  personal  experiences,  where  they  exist — to  collect  the  best  au- 
thorities, where  there  are  authorities ;  and  otherwise  to  be  silent,  rather 
than  give  character  to  vulgar  rumors — 1  deem  the  writer^s  duty. 

This,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  I  have  endeavored  to  do ;  and  I  can 


ADVCRTtSCMEITT. 


ni 


only  add,  that,  as  it  is  not  delightful  to  err,  I  shall  be  too  much  obliged 
to  thoso  who  m\\  kindly  convince  me  of  error,  and  enable  me  to  cor- 
rect it. 

In  addition  to  thoso,  my  obligations  to  \7h0m  I  have  heretofore 
gratefully  recorded,  I  have  pleasure  in  referring  to  Mr.  Kino,  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina;  Messrs.  Manoeville  and  Cocleioh, 
of  Geneva ;  and  Mr.  Gregory,  of  Adirondach,  N.  Y.,  for  information 
and  specimens  from  various  parts  of  the  country. 

Several  kind  correspondents,  and  some  ingenious  critics,  have  point- 
ed out  errors,  and  suggested  emendations,  of  which  I  have  thankfully 
availed  myself. 

All  the  matter  thus  collected  will  be  found  embodied  in  a  oopiouH 
Supplement  to  this  second  edition,  provided  with  a  separate  Index, 
under  the  head  of  the  fishes  to  which  it  relates ;  and  including  some 
authentic  information  relative  to  Southern  Fishing,  obtained  from  Mr. 
Kino. 

A  few  pages  on  Deep-sea  Fishing  will  also  be  found  in  the  Supple- 
ment ;  as  it  is  a  subject  to  which — myself  considering  it  very  inferior 
as  a  sport — I  perhaps  gave  scarce  "  verge  enough  "  in  my  first  edi- 
tion. 

I  am  happy  once  again  to  express  my  gratitude  to  the  public  in 
general,  for  a  kind  reception  and  favorable  hearing ;  and  to  my  critics, 
on  the  whole,  for  kindness  and  candor. 

I  feel,  however,  that  on  one  point  it  is  not  only  my  right,  but  my 
duty,  to  add  a  few  words ;  and  having  been  charged — though  anony- 
mously— with  plagiarism,  the  most  heinous  crime  of  authorship,  to  give 
my  readers  a  chance  audire  alteram  partem. 

It  is  charged  on  me,  that  I  have  stolen  from  a  work  entitled  "  the 
American  Angler's  Guide,"  by  Mr.  Brown,  of  New  York ;  and  that 
with  intent  to  injure  the  man,  and  detract  from  his  bpok. 


vUi 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


In  the  first  place,  on  page  30, 1  have  quoted  seven  lines  from  the 
Angler's  Guide,  introduced  by  seven  lines,  complimentary  to  Mr 
Brown,  his  work,  and  his  tackle  depot.  On  page  153, 1  corrected  an 
error  u:  his  Latinitj,  Essex  for  Esox^  with  another  complimentary  no- 
tice of  his  book.  On  pages  291  to  302  passim,  I  extracted  quotations 
from  the  writings  of  a  gentleman — ^with  whose  papers,  originally  pub- 
lished in  the  Buffalo  Commercial,  and  republished  in  the  N.  Y.  Spirit 
of  the  Times,  I  had  long  been  acquainted — from  Mr.  Brown's  book, 
in  which  they  were  again  quoted,  crediting  them  to  the  author,  not  tc 
Mr.  Brown. 

I  was  informed,  while  in  Buffalo  in  the  Spring,  by  mutual  friends 
of  myself  and  the  author,  Messrs.  Seaver  and  Haskins,  of  the  Buf- 
falo Courier,  that  there  could  be  no  objection  to  my  using  these  quo- 
tations; and,  desiring  to  do  so,  I  cut  the  quotations  from  Mr.  Brown's 
book,  in  preference  to  hunting  up  old  files  of  newspapers. 

In  Mr.  Brown's  work,  appended  to  a  quotation  from  this  writer,  on 
the  Black  Bass,  was  one  original  paragraph  of  six  unimportant  lines, 
connecting  a  second  quotation  from  another  hand.  This  connecting 
paragraph,  and  the  fact  of  its  being  a  second  quotation,  I  casually 
overlooked  ;  and  the  six  original  lines  of  Mr.  Brown  were  printed,  on 
my  page  302,  without  quotation  marks.  The  second  quotation  was 
marked  as  quoted,  though  attributed  to  a  wrong  person. 

These  facta  speak  for  themselves,  I  trust,  and  need  no  comment. 

Herewith,  therefore,  I  dismiss  forever  an  unpleasant  topic,  and,  with 

much  gratitude,  and  all  kind  wishes  to  my  friends  in  particular,  and 

the  public  in  general,  subscribe  myself,  as  ever, 

Their  Friend  and  Servant,  ,   \ 

Frank  Forester. 
Th«  Cedarn,  January,  1860. 


LIST    OF    EMBELLISHMENTS. 


man 

FRONTISPIECE— THE  MASCALONGE. 

OUTLINE  OF  LAKE  TROUT, 37 

HEAD  OF  THE  SILVER  TROUT,  .......  46 

GILL-COVERS  AND  DENTAL  SYSTEM  OF  TROUT,  ....  46 

THE  TRUE  SALMON, 64 

SALMON  PINKS, 64 

SALMON  SMOLT, 61 

THE  BROOK  TROUT, -  86 

BROOK  TROUT  FRY, 86  - 

THE  MACKINAW  SALMON, 104 

VARIETY  TRUITE  DE  GREVE 104 

THE  SISKAWITZ, 112 

THE  LAKE  TROUT, 116 

THE  SALMON  TROUT, 120 

THE  MASAMACUSH,  •  • 126 

BACK'S  GRAYLING, •  -  131 

THE  AMERICAN  SMELT, 136 

THE  WHITE  FISH, -  -  •  .  141 

THE  OTSEGO  BASS, 145 

HEAD  OF  THE  NORTHERN  PICKEREL, 149 

HEAD  OF  THE  MASCALONGE, 161 

THE  GREAT  NORTHERN  PICKEREL, 164 

THE  COMMON  PICKEREL, 167 

THE  LONG  ISLAND  PICKEREL, 161 

THE  COMMON  CARP, 164 

THE  AMERICAN  ROACH, 170 

THE  NEW  YORK  SHINER, 178 

THE  AMERICAN  BREAM, )74 

MINNOWS, 176 

THE  HERRING, 178 

THE  SHAD, 180 

THE  CATFISH, 188 

THE  EEL, 186 

THE  AMERICAN  YELLOW  PERCH, 187 

THE  STRIPED  SEA   BASS, 189 

THE  YELLOW  PIKE  PERCH 192 

THE  BLACK  BASS,  ....  ....  195 

THE  ROCK  BASS igS 

THE  COMMON   POND  FISH, 800 


X  EMBELLISHMENTS. 

PA  OB 

THE  COD, a« 

THE  AMERICAN  HADDOCK, 223 

THE  AMERICAN  WHITING, 224 

SALMON-FLIES, 225 

TROUT-FLIES, 253 


VIGNETTES. 

RUSTIC  BRIDGE, 16 

FALLS  OP  THE  MONTMORENCI, 63 

MILL  AND  TROUT  STREAM, 85 

GREEN  DRAKE,  TROUT  FLY, 103 

RIVER  VIEW, 115 

LAKE  INCAFAPCO, 119 

TROLLING  UNDER  SAIL, 125 

STRIKING  A  GRAYLING, 135 

NETS  DRYING, 148 

THE  FERRY, 153 

GORGE  HOOK  AND  BAIT, 156 

SKIFF  AND  WATER  FENCE, 171 

TROUT-DAM,  LONG  ISLAND, 173 

SILVER  LAKE, 175 

TROUT,  PERCH,  AND  BAIT  KETTLE, 179 

NETTING  FROM  BOATS, 184 

BAIT  FISHING, 186 

LITTLE  WHITE  BASS, 191 

CLICK  REEL, 194 

ROCK- BASS  FISHING, 199 

FOOT  BRIDGE  AND  TROUT  STREAM, 201 

FISHING  BOATS, 306 

A  MACKEREL  BREEZE, 209 

CREEL  AND  RODS. 214 

SQUIDDING  UNDER  SAIL, 219 

HAULING  THE  NET, 221 

STRIKING  A  HEAVY  FISH, 252 

MAY  FLIES  AND  STONE  FLIES, 273 

TROLLING  WITH  SCARLET  IBIS  FLY, 280 

GORGE  TACKLE, 289 

RIVER  PERCH, 293 

THE  UPPER  DELAWARE, 296 

NETS  AND  BUOYS,     •           - 300 

RIVER  VIEW ...  307 

FISHING  BOATS, 311 

GOLDEN  PHEASANT,  WOODCOCK  WING,  AND  HACKLE,     ...  329 

BAIT  KETTLE, .           ■  331 

FINIS, 302 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAOB. 

Ihtroductoet  Remarks 11 

The  Game  Fish  of  North  America 17 

Salmonid£,  or  the  Salmon  Family 34 

The  True  Salmon 54 

The  Brook  Trout 86 

The  Greatest  Lake  Trout 104 

The  Siskawitz 112 

The  Lake  Trout 116 

The  Salmon  Trout 120 

The  Masamacush 126 

Back's  Grayling 131 

The  American  Smelt 136 

TheCapelin 139 

The  White-Fish 141 

The  Otsego  Bass 145 

EsOCmJE,  OR  THE  PlKE  FaMILY 149 

The  Mascalonge 151 

The  Great  Northern  Pickerel 164 

The  Common  Pickerel 167 

The  Long  Island  Pickerel 161 

Cyprinidje,  or  the  Carp  Family 164 

The  Common  Carp 164 

The  American  Roach 170 

The  New  York  Shiner 172 

The  American  Bream 174 

Minnows 176 

Clupid^,  or  the  Herring  Family 178 

The  Herring         ...            .        .        i        .        .        .  180 

The  Shad                      180 

SlLURIDiE,  OR  THE  CaT-FiSH  FaIMLY 182 

The  Cat-Fish 182 

Angtjillid^,  or  the  Eel  Family 186 

The  Eel 186 

Percidje,  or  the  Pearch  Family 187 

The  American  Yellow  Pearch 187 

The  Striped  Sea-Bass 189 

The  Yellow  Pike  Pearch       ....                        .        .  192 


xJi  CONTENTS. 

The  Black  Bass .        .  195 

The  Growler 197 

The  Rock  Bass 198 

The  Common  Pond-Fish 200 

The  Lake  Sheep's-Head 202 

The  Malasheganay 203 

Shoal- Water  Fishes 204 

The  Sea  Bass 206 

The  Lafayette 207 

TheWeak-Fish 208 

TheKing-Fish 209 

The  Silvery  Corvina          .        . 211 

The  Branded  Corvina            212 

The  Big  Drum  and  Banded  Drum 213 

The  Sheep's-Head .        .        .216 

TheBigPorgee 217 

The  Blue-Fish 213 

TheTautog 220 

Deep-Sea  Fishes             222 

The  Cod 222 

The  American  Haddock 223 

The  American  Whiting 224 

Salmon  Fishing 226 

The  Implements  of  Salmon  Fishing 239 

Trout  Fishing 263 

Lake  Tbout  Fishing            274 

Salmon  Trout  Fishing            277 

Pickerel  Fishing 281 

Pearch  Fishing 290 

Carp  Fishing 294 

Striped  Bass  Fishing 297 

Black  Bass  Fishing 301 

Eel  Fishing  and  Trimmers 308 

Shoal- Water  Sea  Fishino 310 

The  Weak-Fish 312 

The  Barb  or  King-Fish 313 

The  Sea  Bass        ....                316 

The  Tautog      ....                                 ...  316 

The  Sheep's-Hoad         .        .        .                319 

The  Drum 320 

Deep-Sea  Fishing 322 

Blue-Fish  Fishisg 320 

Appendix  A.             , 323 

Appendix  B 330 

Appendix  C 332 

suplement 351 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


M^M^^^H^M^^^MM^M^^^^M* 


To  DEAL  with  a  subject  so  wide  as  the  Fish  and  Fishing  ot  aa 
extent  of  country  greater  than  the  whole  of  Europe,  stretching  almost 
from  the  Arctic  circle  to  the  Tropics,  from  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic 
to  those  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  may  seem,  and  indeed  is,  in  some 
respects,  a  bold  and  presumptuous  undertaking.  It  were  so  altogether, 
did  I  pretend  to  enter  into  the  natural  history  of  all,  or  even  of  one- 
hundredth  part,  of  the  fish  peculiar  to  this  continent  and  its  adjacent 
seas. 

Such,  however,  is  by  no  means  my  aim  or  intention.  I  write  for 
the  sportsman,  and  it  is  therefore  with  the  sporting-fish  only  that  I 
propose  to  deal ;  as,  in  a  recent  work  on  the  Field  Sports  of  the  same 
regions,  it  was  with  the  game  animals  only  that  I  had  to  do.  In  the 
prefatory  observations  of  that  work,  I  endeavored  to  make  myself 
understood  as  to  what  constitutes  game,  in  my  humble  opinion,  as 
regards  animals  of  fur  and  feather.  I  did  not,  it  is  true,  expect,  or 
even  hope,  to  suit  the  views  and  notions  of  everybody,  particularly 
when  I  looked  to  the  great  variety  of  soils,  regions,  and  climates,  for 
the  inhabitants  of  which  I  was  writing ;  and  to  the  extreme  latitude 
and  laxity  of  ideas  concerning  sportsmanship  which  prevail  in  this 
country. 

One  would  suppose  it  was  sufBiciently  evident,  that  a  work  of  the 


xiv 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 


magnitude  of  the  Universal  Encyclopaedia,  and  nothing  short  of  that, 
would  suffice  to  give  an  elaborate  essay  and  disquisition  on  every  sepa- 
rate sort  of  sport,  which  every  separate  individual,  of  every  separate 
State  in  the  Union,  may  think  proper  to  practice  for  his  own  pleasure 
or  profit. 

I  therefore  determined  to  confine  myself,  in  the  first  place,  to  those 
sports  only  which  are  truly  Field  Sports  in  the  highest  acceptation 
of  the  term,  and  which  are  established  as  such  by  the  consent  of 
genuine  sportsmen. 

In  the  second  place,  I  restricted  myself  to  those  sports  which  are 
purely  and  peculiarly  American,  and  which,  as  such,  are  not  treated  of 
at  all,  or,  if  at  all,  understandingly,  by  European  writers. 

The  natural  history,  the  generic  distinctions,  the  migrations,  habits, 
haunts,  seasons,  and  the  mode  of  pursuing  and  taking,  in  the  most 
artistical  and  sportsmanlike  manner,  of  such  animals  as  are  peculiar 
to  this  continent,  which  have  never  been  a  subject  of  investigation  to 
the  sporting  naturalist,  seemed  to  me  to  afibrd  a  topic  interesting  and 
agreeable  to  the  writer,  and  not  devoid  of  some  pretension  toward 
entertaining,  and  perhaps  instructing,  the  general  reader. 

At  the  same  time,  neither  pretending  nor  hoping  to  make  my  work 
ferfect^  I  thought  proper  to  exercise  my  own  judgment  in  deciding 
what  species  of  sports  are  to  be  regarded  as  Field  Sports  at  all,  what 
as  American  Field  Sports,  and  what  as  requiring  description,  analysis, 
or  explanation. 

Some  men  consider  the  shooting  of  migratory  thrushes,  and  golden- 
winged  woodpeckers — which  it  pleases  them  to  call  robins  and  high- 
holders — as  well  as  small  song-birds  in  general,  as  a  field  sport ;  I 
do  not. 

Many  men — I  might  say,  of  the  rural  parts  of  the  Eastern  and  Middle 
States,  most  men — consider  squirrels,  raccoons,  opossums,  ground-hogs, 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 


XV 


and  such  like  vermin,  as  being  gunie  ;  I  do  not.  Therefore  I  dealt  not 
with  any  of  these,  nor  apologise  for  not  dealing  with  them. 

Again.  Fox-hunting  on  horseback,  in  a  well-fenced,  arable,  or 
pasture  country,  is  the  finest  of  all  field  sports,  beyond  a  question. 
But  tho  facts,  that  one  pack  of  foxhounds  is  now  kept  at  Montreal, 
that  another  was  kept  a  few  years  since  by  the  members  of  the  British 
legation  at  Washington,  and  that  a  few  planters,  in  two  or  three 
Southern  States,  amuse  themselves  occasionally  and  irregularly  by 
fox-hunting,  do  not  constitute  fox-hunting  an  American  field  sport ; 
which  it  is  not ;  as  is  demonstrated  by  the  undeniable  fact,  that  there 
are  not  above  three  States  out  of  thirty,  more  or  less,  in  which  the 
fox  is  pursued  as  anything  but  vermin. 

There  are,  moreover,  many  reasons  which  render  it  almost  impossible 
that  fox-hunting  ever  shall  become  an  American  field  sport.  In  the 
Northern  and  Eastern  States,  where  only,  as  a  general  rule,  the  coun- 
try is  sufficiently  cleared  of  timber  to  allow  of  this  puisuit  in  perfec- 
tion, the  severity  of  the  winter,  and  the  jealousy  of  farmers  in  regard 
to  trespass  on  their  lands,  and  the  breaking  of  their  fences,  combine 
to  render  it  impracticable.  In  the  Southern  States,  the  woodland 
character  of  the  country,  and  the  frequency  of  swamps,  bayous,  and 
similar  obstacles,  destroy  all  its  peculiar  excellences,  and  detract  infi- 
nitely from  its  excitement,  and  its  scientific  character. 

Yet  once  more.  Had  fox-hunting  been,  what  it  is  not,  an  American 
field  sport,  I  should  still  have  dismissed  it  in  a  few  pages.  Because, 
being  a  sport  thoroughly  understood,  and  carried  to  the  utmost  perfnc- 
tion  in  the  Old  World ;  a  sport,  so  far  as  it  is  one  here  at  all,  per- 
fectly identical  on  the  two  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  as  such,  having 
no  peculiarities,  and  requiring  no  new  precepts  here  ;  and,  above  all, 
being  a  sport  on  which  more  able  and  excellent  treatises  have  been 
wi'itten  than  on  any  other  in  the  whole  range  of  sporting  subjects,  and 


ZVl 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS 


that  by  such  men  as  Beckford  und  Mimrod — names  as  familiar  as 
household  words  to  all  who  can  sit  a  horse,  or  halloo  to  a  hound — it 
would  have  been  an  act,  if  not  of  impertinenoo,  at  least  of  total 
supererogation,  to  fill  up  the  pages  of  a  work  devoted  to  a  new  class 
of  subjects,  with  trite  remarks  on  an  old  one,  or  with  quotations  from 
books  within  the  reach  of  every  sportsman. 

All  this  which  I  have  here  set  down  in  relation  to  my  work  on  Field 
Sports,  and  to  some  strictures  which  have  been  made  upon  it,  is  simply  • 
explanatory  of  my  intentions  with  regard  to  this  work. 

These  are  to  furnish  what  information  I  can  in  relation  to  the  classes, 
migrations,  habits,  breeding  seasons,  and  the  modes  of  taking,  of  those 
which  I  call  and  consider  sporting  or  game  fishes ;  to  insist  on  the 
generic  distinctions,  and  the  true  names  and  definitions  of  the  various 
species  and  families ;  to  show  briefly  how  the  various  families  and 
classes  may  be  distinguished  one  from  the  other,  thereby  enabling 
sportsmen  to  avoid  the  constant  errors  and  blunders  into  which  they 
are  now  falling  in  the  confusion  of  distinct  varieties  and  orders ;  and 
putting  it  in  their  power,  by  the  accurate  observance,  and  correct 
recording,  of  a  few  simple  signs,  to  render  invaluable  service  to  the 
cause  of  science,  in  one  of  the  most  important,  and  the  least  under- 
stood of  its  branches 

And,  before  1  proceed  farther,  I  shall  beg  gentlemen  from  remote 
sections  of  the  North,  East,  West  and  South,  not  to  wax  wrathful  and 
patriotically  indignant,  nor  to  reclaim  fiercely  against  the  author  of  this 
work,  because  they  fail  to  find  therein  described  some  singular  local 
mode  of  capturing  some  singular  specimen  of  the  piscine  race  known 
in  their  own  districts,  and  there  regarded  as  a  sporting-fish,  but 
unknown  as  such  to  the  world  at  large. 

Some  gentlemen  doubtless  regard  bobbing  for  eels,  and  bait-fishing 
through  holes  cut  in  the  ice — others,  hauling  up  sharks  with  ox-chains 


INTRODUCTOBV    REMARKS. 


xvrr 


and  tentor-hooks — and  others  yet,  harpooning  garpikes,  as  excellent 
Hport,  and  as  scientific  fishing,  as  many  more  will  probably  deem  of 
hauling  the  seine,  or  fishing  with  the  set-line,  or  the  deep-sea  line. 
None  of  these  things  come  under  my  idea«  of  fair  or  sporting  fishing ; 
and  the  gentlemen  who  admire  these  and  similar  practices,  I  beg  leave 
to  premonish  that  they  will  be  surely  disappointed  if  they  p  sruse  the 
pages  of  this  work.  By  omitting  to  do  so,  therefore,  they  will  spare 
themselves  a  displeasure,  and  the  author  an  animadversion. 

Fresh-water-fishing  especially  is  its  subject.  Lakes,  estuaries,  rivers, 
brooks,  its  scene ;  and  the  Salmon,  in  all  its  varieties,  the  Pike,  the  Bass, 
and  the  Pearch,  the  fish  with  which  it  will  principally  deal.  All  game 
firth  will,  however,  find  a  place  in  its  pages  ;  all  those,  I  mean,  which 
can  be,  and  usually  are,  taken  with  the  rod  and  reel ;  nor  will  a  few 
pages  be  denied  to  deep-sea  fishing ;  and  to  the  consideration  of  some 
of  the  finny  tribe  which  visit  our  rivers  and  shores,  and  which,  from 
various  causes,  such  as  peculiarity  of  habit,  singularity  of  structure, 
excellence  on  the  table,  or  the  like,  may  appear  worthy  of  a  passing 
notice,  although  not  coming  strictly  within  the  sportsman's  category  of 
game  fishes. 

All  the  modes  of  rod-fishing  will  be  treated  of  in  their  places  ;  but 
8y-fishing,  spinning  with  the  live,  and  trolling  with  the  dead  bait,  more 
especially  will  be  discussed ;  as,  for  my  own  part,  I  regard  these  as 
the  only  true  and  sportsmanlike  modes  of  operation.  Bottom-fishing, 
ground-baiting  with  the  float  and  sinker,  and  the  like,  are  doubtless  all 
very  well  in  their  way  ;  and  will  perhaps,  in  many  instances,  even  with 
sporting  fishes,  be  found  the  most  killing,  as  they  are  clearly  the 
easiest  methods  ;  while,  with  other  varieties,  they  are  the  only  modes 
that  can  be  adopted ;  still  they  are  to  fly-fishing,  or  spinning  the 
minnow,  what  shooting  sitting  is  to  shooting  on  the  wing  ;  and  the 
fisher  who  is  proud  of  lugging  out  of  their  native  element  twenty  trout 


XVllI  INTRODUCTORV    KEMARK& 

by  main  force,  aided  by  a  lob-worm  or  roe-bait,  Htauda  in  the  same 
relation  to  him  who  baskets  his  three  or  four  brace  with  the  artificial 
fly  and  single-gut  artistically  cast,  as  the  gunner  who  pot-hunts  his 
bagful  of  birds,  treeing  his  rnfi'ed  grouse,  and  butchering  his  quail  in 
their  huddles  on  the  ground,  does  to  the  crack  shot,  who  stops  his  cock 
in  a  blind  brake,  with  the  eye  of  faith  and  the  finger  of  instinot,  or 
cuts  down  his  wild-fowl,  skating  before  the  wind  at  the  rate  of  a  mile 
a  minute,  deliberately  rapid  and  unerring. 


FRANK  FORESTER'S 


FISH  AND   FISHING. 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


It  is  with  fishing  as  a  sport,  not  as  a  source  of  national  wealth  or 
individual  epicureanism,  that  1  have  to  do ;  therefore  it  is  of  game  or 
sporting  fishes  only  that  I  propose  to  treat. 

Again,  it  is  true  that  no  sportsman  captures  that,  which,  captured,  is 
worthless  ;  and  that  to  be  game,  whether  bird,  beast,  or  fish,  is  to  be 
eatable.    Therefore  it  is  of  eatable*  fishes  alone  that  I  propose  to  treat. 

By  game  fish,  I  understand  those  which,  being  eatable,  will  take  the 
natural  or  artificial  bait  with  sufficient  avidity,  and  which  when  hooked 
have  sufficient  vigor,  courage  and  velocity  to  ofifcr  such  resistance,  and 
give  such  difficulty  to  the  captor,  as  to  render  the  pursuit  exciting. 

By  these  qualities  of  the  fish,  corresponding  qualities  of  the  fisher- 
man are  called  forth,  and  the  greater  the  wariness  of  the  fish  before 
taking  the  hook,  compelling  the  use  of  the  most  delicate  tackle,  the 
greater  his  fury  and  activity  when  struck,  requiring  the  nicest  skill, 
temper  and  judgment,  the  higher  does  he  stand  on  the  list ;  and  by 

Note  to  Reviskd  Edition. — It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  phraBeolo^  of  this 
page  is  altered  in  this  edition.  It  is  so,  not  that  I  have  taken  any  new  ground,  but 
because  it  appears  my  language  was  not  so  definite  as  to  enable  all  persons  to  under- 
stand what  that  ground  is.  I  certainly  supposed  it  unnecessary  to  state  so  self-evi- 
dent a  fact  as  that  game  is  eatable. 

*  Hence  my  non-mentiou  of  that  very  curious  iish,  the  Garpike  or  Alligator  Gar, 
Eb'ox  Oaaeua.  He  is  no  more  game  than  the  Shark  or  Dog-Fish,  botli  of  which 
men  catch  for  fun. 


lb 


TMR  OAMK  ri8H  OF  NORTH   AMICKfl  A. 


thoao  qiialiti«H,  not  by  the  comparative  value  of  his  flosh,  is  his  rant 
dot'idod. 

For  tliouj^'h  of  all  fiold  sports  the  motive*  and  origin  is  to  kill  for 
the  table,  and  not  to  kill  for  the  sake  of  killing,  still  the  sport  to  bo 
derived  from  them  lios  in  the  excitement  of  pursuit,  and  difficulty  of 
capture — not  in  the  number  or  value  of  the  game. 

Wanton  butchery  of  useless  brutes,  and  greedy  pot-hunting  are  the 
Scylla  and  Charybdis,  between  which  the  true  sportsman,  and  he  only, 
steers  intermediutc. 

It  is  the  wariness,  the  subtlety  and  the  caution  of  the  Salmon,  ren- 
dering it  necessary  to  use  materials  of  the  slenderest  and  most  delicate 
nature,  and  to  apply  them  with  the  utmost  nicety,  which  makes  thi- 
triumph  over  him  so  far  more  enthralling  to  the  real  fisherman  than 
that  over  the  Pickerel  or  Mascalonge  of  equal  weight,  whose  greater 
voracity  and  inferior  intellect  permits  the  use  of  a  gimp  hook-length, 
and  a  silken  or  flaxen  Hue,  instead  of  the  fine  gut,  tinctured  to  the  very 
color  of  the  water,  and  the  casting-line  of  almost  invisible  minuteness. 

The  same  is  the  superiority  of  rod  and  reol-fiHhing  to  the  use  of  the 
hand-lino,  whether  in  trolling  or  in  deep-sea  fishing ;  because  in  both 
these  the  sport  is  at  an  end,  so  soon  as  the  fish  is  hooked ;  it  being  a 
mere  question  of  brute  strength  whether  the  victim  shall  be  conquered 
or  not,  when  once  fast  at  the  end  of  a  lino  capable  of  pulling  in  a  year- 
ling bullock. 

On  the  contrary,  it  is  not  the  wariness  and  cunning,  but  the  vigor, 
the  speed,  the  fierce  courage  and  determined  obstinacy  of  the  true 
Salmon,  the  Brook  Trout,  when  of  fine  size  and  woU-fcd,  the  various 
kinds  of  larger  Pike  or  Pickerel,  the  Bass,  and  some  others,  which 
gives  such  a  zest  to  their  capture,  as  compared  with  the  smaller  and 
duller  fiwh  which  may  be  pulled  out  as  fast  as  a  hook  can  be  baited  and 
thrown  in;  or  the  larger  and  more  torpid  fish,  such  as  the  Lake  Trout, 
the  Carp,  and  the  Pearches,  some  of  which,  after  a  single  boring 
plunge,  resign  themselves  almost  without  a  struggle,  and  are  mastered 
with  no  resistance  save  that  occasioned  by  their  own  dead  weight. 
I  have  said,  above,  that  it  is  upon  these  qualities  of  boldness  and 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — The  killingf  of  dangerous  carnivorn,  ns  a  matter  of 
defence,  is  not  here  ooiieidered,  becauBe  in  tliia  country,  a«  in  Europe,  the  practioo 
and  the  nrc<  suit)'  have  long  passed  away. 


T5TE  OAMK  FISH  OF  NORTH   AMERICA. 


19 


OerconoH-t,  (combined  witli  wariuoH«  in  biting,  and  of  vigor  and  dotcrmi- 
niituiii  in  rc'siMtHi  If.  apart  from  any  intrinsic  value  of  tlio  AhIi,  or  ex- 
o:>ll.uicn  of  his  flosh,  that  his  rank  for  ganicnosH  must  depend. 

It  is  roniarlcahin,  howovor,  that  all  thoso  fish  which  arc  the  most 
gamn,  til'  liDldi'st,  the  strongt^st,  the  bravest,  and  the  most  obstinate, 
are  invariahly  the  finest  also  for  culinary  purposes,  and  the  most  highly 
appreciated  by  the  gourmet  on  the  board,  as  well  aa  by  the  fisherman 
in  the  river  or  the  mere. 

With  very  few  exceptions,  the  Game  Fish  arc  those  which  do  not 
confine  tliemselvos  either  to  salt  or  fresh  water,  throughout  the  year, 
but  visit  the  one  or  the  other,  as  their  habits  and  tastes,  but  princi- 
pally the  propagation  of  their  species,  direct  them.  These  migratory 
fish  are,  without  any  exception,  the  strongest,  the  boldest,  and,  as 
such,  afford  the  best  sport  of  their  tribe;  nor  are  they,  for  the  most 
part,  to  })e  surpassed  by  any  in  excellence,  firmness,  and  flavor,  when 
in  their  best  condition. 

Those  fish  which  never  visit  the  salt  water  at  all,  are  unquestion- 
ably so  much  inferior  to  others  of  their  own  family  which  run  periodi- 
cally to  the  sea,  that  they  are  with  difficulty  recognized  as  belonging 
to  the  same  order  with  their  roving  brethren ;  while  of  those,  none  of 
which  are  known  to  leave  the  fresh-water,  but  two  or  three  kinds, are 
worth  taking  at  all ;  and  even  these  are  not  to  be  compared  with  the 
migratory,  or  the  pure  sea-fish. 

All  excellence  is,  of  course,  in  some  degree  comparative,  and  I  am 
well  aware  that  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  whore  sea-fish  are 
unknown,  and  where  the  culinary  science  is  merely  in  a  rudimental 
state,  many  fish  are  deemed  excellent,  and  are  sought  out  as  dainties, 
simply  because  they  are  better  than  the  ordinary  tenants  of  the  same 
waters;  while  in  any  place,  where  they  could  be  considered  in  regard 
to  the  commonest  sea-fish,  they  would  be  entirely  disregarded,  and 
sold,  if  at  all,  as  among  the  cheapest  and  most  worthless  articles  of 
human  food. 

In  the  same  way,  many  species  of  game,  both  of  fur  and  feather,  are 
highly  regarded  in  districts  where  markets  are  rare,  and  well-fed  rand 
tonder  butchers'  meat  unknown ;  and  in  such  places  you  will  find  many 
tasteless  and  inferior  birds  and  aninirtls  nighly  valued,  which  in  cities, 
where  a  variety  of  flesh  and  fowl  is  daily  to  be  procured,  where  poultry 


20 


THE  GAME  PISH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


and  butchers'  meat  can  always  be  had,  both  fat  and  tender,  no  person 
of  ordinary  taste  or  judgment  in  the  art  of  eating,  would  allow  to 
come  upon  his  table.  ■      ■'      u 

These  few  observations  I  premise  in  this  place,  because  I  foresee 
distinctly  that  my  remarks  will  be  animadverted  upon,  more  or  less 
severely,  by  the  inhabitants  of  those  districts  in  which  the  varieties  of 
fish  which  I  regard  as  almost  worthless  prevail;  the  same  thing  having 
occurred  with  regard  to  my  work  on  Field  Sports,  concerning  which 
gentlemen  have  waxed  unwisely  indignant  as  regards  this  or  that  bird, 
or  this  or  that  mode  of  cooking  it,  when  they  have  plainly  lacked  the 
means  of  drawing  the  requisite  comparison. 

But  to  proceed :  the  Game  Fish  of  this  country  may  bo  divided, 
first,  into  two  general  classes  of  fresh  and  salt-water  fishes ;  and  these 
may  be  again  sub-divided,  each,  into  other  two,  the  fresh  as  migratory 
and  non-migratory ;  the  salt,  as  into  deep-sea  and  shoal-water ; 
although,  perhaps,  to  speak  with  perfect  precision  on  the  subject,  no 
deep  soa  fish  should  be  called  a  Game  Fish.  Very  many  persons  are, 
however,  greatly  addicted  to  the  sport  of  making  excursions  from  our 
larger  cities  to  the  various  sea-banks,  for  the  purpose,  it  is  true,  of 
enjoying  the  sea  breeze  and  the  excitement  of  the  sail,  combined  with 
the  attractions  of  the  chowder,  or  the  clara-bake,  the  champagne  and 
the  cotillion,  which  are  wont  to  complete  the  day's  amusement,  but 
still  with  the  object  oi"  fishing  likewise ;  and  these  persons,  even  if 
their  sport  be  not  of  the  loftiest  or  most  sporting  character,  will  rea- 
sonably expect  to  find  some  account  of  a  favorite  pursuit. 

Nor,  in  very  truth — though  I  eschew  large  congregations  of  huma- 
nity for  sporting  purposes,  deeming  them  rather  social  and  convivial 
in  their  true  character,  and  holding  sociality  and  conviviality,  though 
excellent  things  in  their  way,  as  utterly  averse  to  the  spirit  of  sports- 
manship— have  I  not  found  it  good  sport,  at  times,  to  sally  out  from 
some  sequestered  fishing  hamlet,  in  the  trim  schooner  or  more  humble 
yawl,  and  try  my  fortune  with  the  Cod,  the  Haddock,  and  the  Halibut; 
or  if,  perchance,  on  the  rocky  shores  of  Eastern  New  England,  with 
the  delicate  and  lively  Whiting,  too  little  known,  as  yet,  to  the  epi- 
cures of  America,  although  unsurpassed  in  excellence  by  few,  if  any, 
of  his  race.  With  deep-sea  fishing  I  shall  deal,  therefore,  although 
briefly,  as  becomes  its  rank  in  proportion  with  tlie  more  excitinr  :iud 


THE  GAME  FISH  OP  NORTH  AMERICA. 


21 


Boientifio  branches  of  the  piscatory  art ;  nor  will  the  shoal-water,  or 
bay  and  estuary  fishing,  as  they  are  practised  on  our  coasts,  be  denied 
so  many  pages,  as  will  appear  proportionate  to  the  number  or  excel- 
lence of  the  species  taken  in  that  sport.  Many  of  these  are  delicious 
fish  on  the  table ;  but  the  sport  of  taking  them  consists,  principally, 
in  the  frequency  of  their  biting,  and  the  skill  requisite  for  their  cap- 
ture lies  mainly  in  the  knowing  the  most  favorable  bottom-grounds, 
the  state  of  the  tides  and  eddies  most  propitious  to  success,  and  the 
most  killing  baits  at  various  seasons. 

In  throwing  out  and  drawing  in  the  bait,  there  is,  comparatively 
speaking,  small  science ;  and  taking  the  fish  when  once  hooked,  little 
skill  and  small  judgment ;  temper,  and  a  moderate  degree  of  patience, 
alone  seem  needful. 

It  is  not,  indeed,  to  be  denied  that  in  this,  as  in  all  other  ground- 
bait  and  bottom-fishing,  an  old  experienced  angler  shall  take  many 
times  more  fish  than  the  tyro  sitting  alongside  of  him  in  the  same 
boat,  and  working  with  apparatus  precisely  similar,  and  baits  identical. 

This  is,  however,  to  be  attributed  much  to  practice,  and  habit — much 
to  watchful  observation  of  minutiae,  such  as  the  fouUing  of  the  line, 
the  correct  depth  of  the  plummet  or  sinker,  and  such  like — and  more 
to  delicacy  of  hand  in  feeling,  appreciating  and  humoring  the  victim, 
when  coquefcHng  and  nibbling  about  the  bait.  It  cannot  be  likened 
to  the  skill  exerted  in  casting  and  managing  the  fly,  or  the  spinning-.'; 
tninnow ;  much  less  to  the  playing,  killing  and  basketing  the  heaviest 
kind  of  fish  with  the  lightest  running  tackle. 

It  must  be  acquired  by  habit  and  practice,  if  it  be  thought  worth 
the  trouble  of  acquisition,  but  it  can  scarcely  be  taught  at  all  by 
instruction  or  example;  and  written  precepts  to  this  end  would  be 
altogether  worthless,  as  they  would  be  dull  and  unamusing, 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  the  enumeration  of  the  Game  Fishes  of  the 
United  States  and  British  Provinces  of  North  America,  according  to 
my  understanding  of  their  game  qualities — regarding  them,  first,  under 
their  great  divisions  of  fresh  and  salt-water  fish ;  then  as  migratory  or 
non-migratory,  and  deep-sea  or  shoal-water. 

And  here  I  shall  observe  that  I  adopt  these  grand  divisions  as  para- 
mount to  the  natural  distinctions  of  genera,  families,  and  the  like,  as 
I  concL'ivo  that  such  a  treatment  of  my  subject  will  be  most  condu- 


22 


THE  OAME  FISH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


cive  to  the  pleasure  and  advantage  of  sportsmen,  for  whose  benefit  1 
especially  write ;  while  the  naturalist  will  find  that,  subject  to  these 
divisions,  he  will  recognise  all  his  old  acquaintances,  and  perhaps 
encounter  some  new  ones,  under  the  generic  and  specific  divisions  and 
definitions  to  which  he  has  been  accustomed.  All  the  Game  Fish  of 
this  country  belong  to  a  few  well-marked  families ;  and  with  the  sole 
exception  of  a  few  deep-sea  fish,  are  included  in  two  large  classes 
abdominal  Malacopterygii,  and  Acanthopterygii ;  the  first  class  being 
those  which  have  all  the  fin-rays  soft  and  ^flexible ;  and  the  second, 
those  which  have  a  part  of  the  fin-rays  hlrd  and  spiny,  as  is  the  case 
with  the  Pearch  and  the  Bass,  besides  some  others. 

The  deep-sea  fish,  to  which  I  have  alluded  as  coming  under  a  third 
class,  are  the  sub-brachial  Malacopterygiij  which  have  a  diflferent 
arrangement  of  the  fins,  although  they  have  the  soft  and  flexible  fin- 
rays  in  lieu  of  spines,  as  in  the  first  class  named.  To  this  class  belong 
the  Cod,  Haddock,  Whiting,  and  such  other  of  the  deep-sea  fish, 
especially  Fiat-Fish,  as  can,  by  any  extension  of  the  term,  be  allowed 
to  figure  as  Game  Fish ;  for,  under  this  head,  I  cannot  by  any  means 
include  the  Ray,  the  Skate,  or  the  Lampreys,  which  come  under  the 
same  class  with  the  Sharks,  CAondropterygii,  or  cartilaginous  fishes, 
the  skeletons  of  which  are  not,  as  in  the  Malacopterygii  or  Acanthop- 
terygii^ composed  of  bone,  but  of  cartilaginous  or  gristly  matter. 
The  Eel,  which  is  not  a  Game  Fisli,  is  of  the  class  Malacopterygiij 
but  with  a  different  arrangement  of  fins,  which  gives  him  the  title  of 
Apodal.  He  hardly  deserves  notice  at  all,  unless  as  an  article  of  food, 
and  if  mentioned,  will  be  kept  aloof  from  the  others. 

Of  these  two  great  generic  divisions,  then,  are  all  the  fresh-water 
fishes  more  or  less  distinct  families ;  and  all  the  shoal-water  sea-fishes 
likewise,  with  which  we  have  to  do  ;  nor  is  there  any  line  to  be  drawn 
as  regards  the  migratory  or  non-migratory  fishes,  some  of  these  belong- 
ing to  each  of  these  two  great  classes. 

It  will  be  well  to  observe  here,  that  I  consider  all  those  fish  which 
run  up  rivers  and  streams  into  the  fresh-water  for  the  purpose  of 
spawning,  which  pass  a  considerable  portion  of  the  year,  and  are 
principally,  if  not  wholly,  taken  in  such  water,  as  fresh-water  fishes ; 
although  a  resort  to  the  salt-water  is  necessary  to  the  reinvigoration 


THE  CJAME  FISH  OP  NORTH   AMERICA, 


33 


of  their  coustitutions ;  and,  it  is  probable,  to  the  excellence  of  their 
flesh,  and  the  courage  and  boldness  of  their  tempers. 

To  this  class  belong  several  of  the  finest  and  most  important  of  all 
our  fish,  both  as  regards  the  table,  and  the  spcrt;  for  to  this  are 
directly  referable  the  Salmon,  that  king  of  the  piscine  world,  the  Sea 
Trout,  the  Striped  Bass,  the  Shad,  and  the  Smelt ;  both  of  which,  for 
reasons  which  I  shall  give,  when  I  am  to  treat  of  them,  under  their 
own  proper  heads,  I  admit  as  Game  Fishes. 

Our  fresh-water  fishes,  then,  all  belonging  to  the  two  classes  above 
named,  Malacopterygii,  soft-finned,  and  Acanihopterygii,  or  spiny- 
finned,  are  divided  into  the  following  families : — 

Of  the  first,  Abdominal  Malacopterygii,  we  have 
The  family  of  Salmonid^,  of  which  the  true  sea  Salmon  is  the 
type,  and  of  which  there  are  many  varieties  and  sub-genera,  both 
migratory  and  non-migratory;  the  principal  are 
Genus  Salmo : 

The  True  Salmon,  Salmo  Salar. 

The   Greatest   Lake    Trout — Mackinaw  Salmon — Sal/no 

Amethystus. 
The  Northern  Lake  Trout — Siskawitz — Salmo  Siskamtz. 
The  Lake  Trout — Salmon  Trout — Salmo  Coiifnis. 
The  Sebago  Trout,  Salmo  Sebago. 
The  Arctic  Char,  Salmo  Hoodii. 
The  Sea  Trout,  White  Trout,  or  Silver  Trout — Salmo  Trutta 

Marina. 
The  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fontinalis. 
Genus  Osmerus  : 

The  Smelt,  Osmerus  Viridescens, 
Genus  Thymallus  : 

The  Arctic  Grayling,  Thymallus  Signifer. 
Genus  Coregonus  : 

The  White  Fish,  Coregonus  Albus. 

The  Otsego  Bass* — misnomer — Coregonus  Otsego. 


*  This  very  beautiful  fish  so  closely  resembles  the  White-fish,  Coregonus  AUius, 
ns  to  be  conceived  by  inimy  persons  to  be  merely  a  casual  variety.  This,  however, 
does  not  appear  to  be  in  truth  the  cuso.  It  is  greatly  to  be  regrnted  ihat  true  and 
diftinctive  names  should  not  be  ttlt!u;hed  to  fishes  which,  having  been  absurdly  mis- 


34 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


2.  Family  SiluriDje, 

Containing  many  species,  Cat-Fish,  Bull-Heads,  &c.,  unworthy  of 
notice,  except,  \  i 

Genus  Silurus  : 

The  Great  Cat-Fish,  Pimelodes  Huron. 

3.  Family  Cyprinid^, 

Containing  many  varieties.  The  Chub,  Sucker,  Shiner,  Roach, 
Dace,  Bream,  &c.,  of  no  account  except  for  bait,  unless  it  be 
two  imported  species. 

The  Common  Carp,  Cyprinus  Carpio,  and 

The  Golden  Carp,  Cyprinus  Auratus. 

5.  Family  Clupeid^. 
Genus  Alosa  : 

The  Shad,*  Alosa  Prcestabilis. 
Genus  Clupea  : 

The  Herring,  Clupea  Harengus. 

6.  Family  Esocid^. 
Genus  Estor  : 

The  Mascalonge,  Esox  Estor. 

The  Northern  Pickerel,  Esox  Lucioides. 

Tk^  Common  Pickerel,  Esox  Reticulatus. 

The  Long  Island  Pickerel,  Esox  Fasciatus. 

The  Garpike,  Esox  Osseus. 

Beside  two  or  three  other  species,  found  in  the  Pennsylvanian 

and  Western  waters. 

This  brings  us  to  the  end  of  our  fresh-water,  soft-finned  fishes ;  or 

of  such,  at  least,  as  are  in  any  wise  worthy  to  be  accounted  Game 

Fishes;  and  we  come  to  the  second  division,  Acanthopterygii,  or  spiny- 


named  by  the  ignorant  early  nettlers,  still  go  by  those  stupid  misnomers — as  in  the 
present  instance,  where  a  fiuli  having  no  possible  analogy  to  a  Bass,  and,  indeed, 
belonging  to  a  different  class  of  fish,  "  soft-finned,"  is  termed  Base.  The  analogoua 
fish  in  England  are  known  an  Gwyniad,  Vendace  and  Polian.  I  would  suggest 
"  Otsego  Lavaret"  as  a  very  suitable  name  for  this  unnamed  species. 

•  I  somewhat  doubt  this  distinction.  I  have  drawings,  made  from  life,  of  two 
varieties  of  Shad  taken  in  New  York  bay,  agreeing  precisely  with  Alosa  Finta  and 
Alosa  Communis,  of  Yarrel — the  Twaite  and  AUice  Shad  of  England — to  the  lat- 
ter of  which  I  would  refer  this  fish. 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH   AMERICA. 


''36 


fiuned  fishes,  which,  though  it  is  Baron  Cuvier's  first  division,  I  have 
postponed  to  the  Malacopterygii,  or  soft-finned  fishes,  on  account  of 
the  greater  estimation  in  which  they  are  held,  especially  the  noble 
Salmon,  Pike  and  Shad  families,  by  both  epicure  and  sportsman. 

Second,  however,  to  these  only  are  several  of  the  families  of  the 
second  class,  and  scarcely  inferior  even  to  these  is  the  splendid  genus 
Labrax,  unquestionably,  next  to  the  Salmon,  the  most  sporting  fish 
in  all  respects  in  the  world,  and  in  his  absence  facile  princeps 

Of  the  class  Acanthopterygii,  then,  we  have 
The  Family  Percid^. 

1.  Genus  Perca  : 

The  Yellow  Pearch,  Perca  Flavescens. 
Of  this  there  are  three  or  four  very  closely-allied  varieties. 
The  White  Pearch,  Perca  Pallida. 

The  Common  Pearch,  Perca  Fluviaiilis,  and  others  of  lesa 
note,  among  which  are  the  genera  Corvina  and  Pomotis. 

2.  Genus  Labrax  : 

The  Striped  Bass — Rock  Fish — Labrax  Lineatus. 

3.  Genus  Lucioperca  : 

The  Pike  Pearch — American  Sandre,  Ohio  Salmon,  &o. — 

JJudoperca  Americana. 
The  Canadian  Sandre,  Lucioperca  Canadensis. 

4.  Genus  Gristes  : 

The  Black  Bass — Oswego  Bass — Giistes  Nigricans 

5.  Genus  Centrarchus  : 

The  Rock  Bass,  Centrarchus  jEneus 

6.  Genus  Otolithus  : 

The  Weak-Fish,  vulgo  Trout,  Otolithus  Regalis  and  Caroli- 
nensis. 

And  with  these,  unless  the  reader  choose  to  add  the  Eel,  of  the  class 
Apodal  Malacopterygii,  family  Anguillidce,  the  list  of  the  fresh-water 
sporting  fishes  of  the  United  States  and  British  Provinces  may  be  said 
to  close. 

Of  these  fish,  the  True  Salmon,  Salmo  Salar,t\ie  Sea  Trout,  Salmo 
Trutta  Marina.,  the  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fontiralls,  the  Arctic  Charr, 
Salmo  Iloodii,  and  perhaps  the  Sebago  Lake  Trout,  are  migratory, 
as  is  also  the  A.rctic  Graylins;,  Thymallus  Signifer ;  all  the  other  T,:'ke 


2ii 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH   AMERICA. 


Trout,  and  such  of  tlie  Drook  Trout  m  are  found  in  small  streams 
above  impracticable  fulls,  or  in  spring  ponds,  or  lakes  without  outlets, 
aro  stationary,  or  non-migratory  ;  and  the  consequences  of  their  habit 
may  be  very  readily  discovered  in  the  inferiority  of  their  flesh,  both 
in  color  and  firmness  of  muscle,  and  in  their  comparatively  lazy  gait, 
and  want  of  game  qualities,  vigor  and  endurance. 

Of  other  soft-finned  fishes,  the  Smelt,  Osmems  Viridescens,  the  Shad, 
Alosa  Frmtabilis,  and  the  Herring,  Clupea  Harengus,  are  migratory 
from  salt  to  fresh-water,  and  so  perhaps  is  the  Weak-Fish,  in  the 
Southern  waters,  there  misnamed  Trout,*  Otolithus  Carolinensis. 

The  White-Fish,  Coregonus  Alius,  and  the  Otsego  Bass,  Coregonus 
Otsego,  are  partially  migratory  from  the  deeper  waters  of  the  lakes 
which  they  inhabit.  All  the  SUuridtB,  Cyprinidce,  and  Esocidce,  aro 
stationary  fish. 

Three  or  four  of  tlie  above  species  and  varieties  I  have  admitted 
with  no  small  doubt ;  and  first  of  these,  in  the  family  Salmonidce,  the 
Common  Lake  Trout,!  >Salmo  Confims,  of  DeKay  ;  because  I  can  see 
no  sufficient  cause  for  distinguishing  this  fish  from  the  Greatest  Lake 
Trout,  or  Mackinaw  Salmon,  with  which  it  appears  to  mo  to  be  iden- 
tical, except  in  size  ;  whereas  size  alone  is  a  very  insufficient  cause  of 
separation.  Secondly,  the  Sebago  Lake  Trout,  which  is  to  be  found, 
as  a  distinct  variety,  in  no  work  ou  American  Icthyology ;  and  yet  I 
have  thought  it  best  to  insert  it.  on  the  authority  of  several  distin- 
guished sportsmen,  who  have  had  frequent  opportunities  of  comparing 
it  with  the  ordinary  Lake  Trout,  and  who  pronounce  it  to  be  a  new 
and  nondescript  fish,  unless  it  be  the  True  Salmon  degenerated.  This 
last  hypothesis  I  am  unwilling  to  listen  to,  as  1  disbelieve  in  the  dege- 
neration of  animals,  in  peculiar  localities,  unless  confined  under  unna- 
tural circumstances,  as  a  sea-running  fish  in  fresh-water,  without  means 

•  Thia  fish  I  have  never  seen  ;  but  I  greatly  doubt  that  the  fish  called  "  Trout," 
In  the  South,  is  identical  with  the  Northern  Weak-Fish.  From  Professor  Agassiz, 
I  understand  it  to  be  a  peculiar  variety  of  the  Weak-Fish,  Otolithus,  being  spotted 
rather  than  striped,  and  tlius  differing  somewhat  from  it,  and  frequenting  fresh 
streams,  which  the  others  do  not. 


*  Note  to  Revised  Edition. — With  regaid  to  this  fish,  I  am  8ati|)fied  that  it  ia 
distuict  from  Ainetliijstus,  though  closely  allied  to  it.  It  is  a  deeper  and  shorter 
fish,     See  Suppleinenl. 


THE  GAME  TIoH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


27 


of  egress.  I  undorstand  that  this  Seba-^o  Trout  has  access  to  the  sea; 
there  is  no  reason,  therefore,  why,  if  originally  a  true  Salmon,  it  should 
have  lost  its  true  characteristics  in  waters  having  their  exit  through 
the  Saco,  more  than  in  those  which  discharge  via.  the  Kennebec,  or 
why  it  shjuld  continue  to  run  up  a  smaller  river,  when  it  has  deserted 
all  the  larger  rivers  westward  of  the  Penobscot,  with  the  exception  of 
a  very  few  which  are,  perhaps,  still  taken  in  the  Androscoggin  and 
the  Kennebec,  where,  a  few  years  ago,  they  absolutely  swarmed. 

With  regard  to  this  fish,  however,  I  hope,  before  concluding  this 
work,  to  receive  more  decided  information  from  some  of  my  obliging 
correspondents  in  that  quarter;  and  perhaps  even  a  specimen  by  which 
to  compare  with  the  other  varieties  of  this  genus. 

Again,  of  the  Sea  Trout,  or  White  Trout,  I  have  my  doubts, 
whether  it  be  not  a  grilse,  or  Salmon  of  the  third  year.  It  is  as  yet, 
so  far  as  I  know,  unfigured  and  undescribed ;  but  my  information  con- 
cerning it  from  excellent  fishermen  on  the  waters  where  it  abounds, 
iihe  rivers,  mainly,  which  fall  into  the  Bay  of  Gaspe  and  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence,  is  so  clear  and  strong,  that  I  prefer  noting  it  as  a  ques- 
tionable variety,  in  the  hopes  of  calling  to  it  the  attention  of  older 
naturalists  than  myself,  and  of  those  who  have  better  opportunities  of 
obtaining  and  examining  specimens. 

Lastly,  the  Red-belli>3d  Trout,  Salmo  Erythrogaster,  of  Dr.  DeKay, 
I  decline  to  insert  on  his  authority,  being  entirely  unconvinced  as  to  its 
being  anything  more  than  a  mere  accidental  variety.  The  whole  of 
that  region  of  lakes  and  rivers,  in  the  Northeastern  angle  of  New  York, 
in  which  this  variety  is  said  to  exist,  teems  with  accidental  varieties  of 
the  Brook  Trout,  of  almost  every  size,  as  well  as  shade  and  color,  both 
of  flesh  and  external  tints.  The  Trout  of  no  two  of  these  lakes  or 
rivers  are  precisely  identical.  The  same  may  be  said  of  Brook  Trout 
from  various  waters  in  Long  Island.  These  differences,  however,  are 
not  deemed  sufficient,  consisting,  mainly,  in  variations  of  hue,  not  of 
form,  bony  configuration,  scales,  or  fins,  whereon'  to  found  generic 
distinctions. 

The  same  remarks  apply  to  a  small  fish,  which  Dr.  DeKay  has 
described  at  length,  and  figui-ed  under  a  new  name,  as  the  Troutlet, 
in  his  fauna  of  New  York ;  and  which  is  unquestionably  nothing  more 
than  the  young  fry  of  the  common  Brook  Trout,  while  it  is  so  small  as 


28 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA- 


to  retain  the  lateral  transverse  bars,  or  clouded  bands,  whicb  have 
lately  been  discovered  to  belong  to  the  fry  of  every  known  variety  of 
the  family  of  the  Salmon,  and  which  have  caiued  all  the  confusion,  and 
given  rise  to  all  the  various  theories,  concerning  the  Parr  of  Great 
Britain. 

Into  all  these  points  I  shall  enter  more  fully  under  their  appropriate 
heads,  when  treating  of  the  separate  fish  to  which  they  relate. 

The  Smelt,  Osmerus  Viridescens,  I  have  mentioned,  though  not  pro- 
perly a  Game  Fish — for  it  is  probable  that  the  statements  of  its  boing 
taken  with  the  hook  refer  to  the  Atherine  or  Sand  Smelt — because 
there  are  some  errors  to  be  refuted,  connected  with  him  and  the  young 
of  the  true  Salmon,  which  would  not  so  easily  be  dealt  with  otherwise ; 
and  the  Shad,  Alosa  Prastabilis,  I  have  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  Game 
Fish,  not  merely  on  account  of  the  excellence  of  his  flesh  in  a  culinary 
point  of  view,  but  because  I  am  well  satisfied  by  indisputable  proofs, 
that  although  it  is  not  usual  to  attempt  the  capture  of  this  fish  sports- 
manlike, the  fault  rests  not  with  the  Shad,  but  with  the  angl&r. 

He  will  not  only  take  the  fly,  and  on  some  occasions  very  freely,  but 
runs  strongly  away  with  the  line,  and  fights  hard  before  he  is  subdued. 
I  regard  him  a  very  decided  addition  to  the  list  of  Amercian  sporting- 
filshea 

The  common  Herring  can  be  taken  very  readily  in  the  same  manner, 
and  I  have  had  very  considerable  amusement  in  killing  them  with  a 
gaudy  peacock-tail  fly,  in  New  York  harbor,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Diamond,  at  the  Narrows. 

With  these  exceptions,  and  the  two  varieties  of  White-fish,  one  of 
which  is  absurdly  misnamed  Otsego  Bass,  having  about  as  much  rela- 
tion to  a  Bass  as  it  has  to  a  Flounder,  all  that  I  have  named  are 
admitted  to  be  game  by  all  fishermen;  and  these  I  have  mentioned, 
because  I  have  little  or  no  doubt  that  they  also,  like  their  European 
congeners,  the  Gwyniad  of  Wales  and  the  PoUan  of  Ireland,  may  be 
occasionally  taken  with  the  artificial  fly. 

All  these  fish  are  Cpregoid,  and  are  very  nearly  analogous  to  one 
another,  forming  a  sort  of  intermediate  link  between  the  families  of 
Salmonid/t  and  Clupeidfe.  or  Salmon  and  Shad,  although  they  are 
included  for  many  eatisfactory  roaaons  among  the  former — the  coiumou 


THE  GAME  FISH  OF  NORTH   AMERICA. 


29 


people  in  Great  Britain  calling  them  h  ii-water  Herring,  while  in  the 
United  States  they  not  unfrequently  pass  by  the  name  of  Shad-salmon. 
The  flesh  of  all  the  varieties  is  delicate  and  highly-flavored.  Tho 
desire  of  comparing  these  American  Coregoni  with  the  British  varie- 
ties, and  ot  bringing  them  somewhat  more  into  general  notice,  has 
induced  me  to  notice  them,  rather  than  their  game  nature. 

I  now  proceed  to  the  salt  water  fishes,  both  those  taken  in  deep,  and 
those  in  shoal  water,  of  the  various  families  above-named ;  and  there- 
after shall  arrange  them  according  to  their  haunts  and  habits. 

Of  those  salt-water  fish  of  the  Atlantic  coasts  which  afl^ord  the  most 
real  sport  to  the  angler,  and  which  are  alone  taken  with  the  rod  and 
reel,  all  the  families  belong  to  the  class  of  the  Acanthopterygii,  or 
spiny-finned  fishes,  none  of  the  soft-finned  fishes  of  the  abdominal 
division  being  taken  in  tho  shoal  waters  of  the  bays  and  estuaries ; 
while  tho  deep-sea  fish  are  all  of  the  sub-bracliial  Malacopterygii^ 
unless  we  may  consider  as  such  the  Sea  Bass  and  Porgee,  which  are, 
however,  as  often  or  oftener  caught  in  shallow  water. 

Salt-water  fish,  taken  in  shoal  water,  river  mouths,  and  the  like, 
Acanihopterygii,  spiny-finned,  we  have  of  the  family 
Percid^,  whereof  the  Pearch  is  tho  type. 
Genus  Labrax  : 

The  Striped  Bass,  Labrax  Lineatm. 

Mentioned  above  as  a  fresh-water  fish,  being  frequently  caught 
in  rivers  far  above  tide-water,  as  well  as  in  the  estuaries,  and 
even  in  the  surfs  on  the  ocean  borders. 
Genus  Centropristes  : 

The  Sea  Bass,  Centropristes  Nigricant. 
Scienid^. 
Genus  Leigstomus  : 

The  Sea  Chub — Lafayette  Fish — Leiostomus  Obliquua. 
Genus  Otolithus: 

The  Weak-Fish,  Otolithus  Regalis. 
The  Southern  Trout,  Otolithus  Carolinensis. 
Genu^  Umbrina  : 

Th  ".  Kino-Fish,  Umbrina  Nebulosa. 
Genus  Pogonias: 

The  Drum-Fish,  Poganias  Chromis. 


30 


THE  GAME  rtSH  OF  NUkfH   AMERICA. 


Sparidje.  ^  . 

Genus  Sarous:  ;      " 

The  Sheep's-Head,  Sargus  Oois. 
Genus  Paorus: 

The  Poroee,  Pagrus  Argyrops. 

scombridje. 
Genus  Temnodon  :  ' 

The  Blve-Fish — Skip-Jack — Temnodon  Saitator. 

Labrid^. 
Genus  Tautoqa  : 

The  Tautoq — Black  Fish — Tautoga  Americana. 
Those  complete  the  list  of  those  salt-water  fish  which  are  of  any 
repute  as  affording  sport  to  the  anglov  in  shoal  water ;  they  may  all 
be  taken  with  the  rod  and  reel,  in  tl'e  bays,  mouths  of  rivors,  and 
shallow  inlets  along  the  greater  porliou  of  our  coast,  especially  in  the 
vicinity  of  reefs,  the  piles  of  old  docks,  or  the  hulls  of  sunken  vessels, 
around  which  they  are  often  found  in  so  large  shoals,  and  bite  so  freely 
and  rapidly,  as  to  afford  a  very  high  degree  of  amusement.  Many 
persons  are  extremely  fond  of  this  kind  of  fishing,  though  it  cannot 
sustain  a  moment's  comparison  with  Trouting,  much  less  with  Salmon 
fishing,  or  indeed  with  t'<  /ling  or  spinning  for  the  Pike  and  the  Black 
Bass. 

Several  of  the  above-mentioned  fishes  are  of  rare  excellence ;  the 
Weak  Fish  and  Blue  Fish,  when  quite  fresh  out  of  the  water,  are  not 
easily  surpassed ;  but  the  King  Fish  and  the  Sheep's-head,  the  latter 
a  migratory  fish,  visiting  us  during  the  summer  months  only,  ere  in 
far  greater  esteem,  being  regarded  by  epicures  as  inferior  to  none 
which  are  taken  in  our  waters. 

The  most  extraordinary  day's  sport  I  have  seen  recorded  in  this 
line,  fell  to  the  lot  of  a  gentleman  of  New  York,  well  known  as  an 
enthusiastical  amateur  and  a  most  skilful  proficient  in  the  gentle  art, 
and  was  thus  recorded  at  the  time  in  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of 
1827.  I  note  the  circumstance,  and  quote  the  following  lines  from  a 
very  useful,  unpretending,  and  not  therefore  less  acrreeable  compen- 
dium, "The  American  Aui:;ler'8  Guide,"  published,  I  believe,  by  Mr. 
Brown,  well  known  as  the  proprietor  of  the  Angler's  depot,  where  ho 
keeps  an  excellent  assortment  of  tackle  of  all  kinds,  in  Fult  -o  streot 


THU  QAME  FISH  OP  NORTH   AME:KI<:A. 


1  have  often  derived  both  information  and  entertainm'  !  mni  this  (r'M>d 
little  manual,  which  is  succinct  and  portable,  and  I  strongly  roooin- 
mend  it  to  my  readers. 

The  feat  to  which  I  have  alluded  is  thus  recorded  in  its  pages: — 

"  On  Friday  last,  a  gentleman  of  this  city  went  out  fishing  from 
Rookaway  into  Jamaica  Bay,  with  his  son,  a  lad  of  twelve  years  of 
age.  They  commenced  fishing  at  half-past  seven  in  the  morning, 
i^pcnt  half  an  hour  in  dining  at  noon,  and  quit  fishing  at  half-past  one, 
having  taken  with  their  rods,  in  six  hours,  four  hundred  atid  seventy- 
two  King-Fish.  Their  guide  was  .Ioseph  Bannister;  none  of  these 
fish  wore  taken  by  him,  as  he  was  diligently  employed  the  whole  time 
in  preparing  bait." 

The  writer  adds  that  he  admits  this  to  have  been  "  an  extraordi- 
nary performance ;"  but  he  goes  on  to  say  "  that  he  has  many  times 
taken  above  one  hundred  in  a  tide,  though  of  late  years  these  fish 
have  become  scarce  in  those  waters,  it  being  supposed  that  their  enemy, 
the  Blue-Fish,  by  preying  on  their  young,  have  caused  the  scarcity." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary,  I  presume,  to  remark  that  no  such  feats 
are  to  be  performed  now-a-days ;  and  he  is  a  happy  and  an  envied  man, 
who  succeeds,  at  present,  in  capturing  a  few  brace  of  this  delicious 
game  fish. 

I  now  come  to  the  last  section  of  my  work,  the  deep-sea  fishes,  very 
few  of  which  are  worthy  of  remark  in  connexion  with  the  angler's 
sport,  although  they  are  all  of  superior  excellence,  as  dainties. 

Those  are  all  soft-finned  fishes,  but  they  form  a  separate  class  of 
th'?  Milacopterygii,  owing  to  a  peculiar  arrangement  of  their  fins,  the 
bones  supporting  the  ventrals  being  attached  to  the  bones  of  the  shoul- 
ders which  support  the  pectorals,  whonco  they  have  obtained  the  term 
sub-brachial. 

To  this  class  of  sub-brachial  Mdlacopterygii  belong  the  two  families 
of  Gadidec  and  Pleuronectidre,  Cod  and  Fiat-Fish,  to  one  or  other  of 
which  portain  all  the  species  which  are  takon  by  the  drop-line  on  our 
coast ;  a  sport  which  is  almost  too  dirty,  as  well  as  too  laborious,  to  be 
in  very  truth  a  sport. 

Of  the  family  Godldee,  of  which  the  Cod  is  the  type,  we  have 
Thk  Common  Cod,  Mhrrhua  Vulgaris. 
The  Haddock,  Morrhua  jEglcfinis. 


THE  OAME:  FI8M  Or  N'Or.TII  AMERICA. 


The  Whitino,  Mertangus  Americanm. 

And  although  there  tiro  several  other  species  of  more  or  less  esti- 
mation for  the  table,  as  the  Torsk  or  Tusk,  Brosmius  Vulgarity  the 
Hake,  Mertucius  Vulgaris,  and  some  others,  none  but  these  are  such 
as  to  require  enumeration  in  a  work  of  this  duscriptiuu. 

Of  the  second  family,  Pkuramctida^  I  shall  think  it  enough  to  men- 
tion, 

The  Halibut,  Hippoglossus  Vulgaris,  vfli'ich  in  the  largest  species 
of  this  family,  as  well  as  thu  best  that  is  taken  in  American  waters; 
for  the  species  of  Turbot,  Rhombus,  which  is  found  on  the  coasts  of 
Massachusetts  bay,  and  that  neighborhood,  is  greatly  inferior,  both  in 
size  and  quality  to  the  celebrated  Europ.ian  fish  of  the  same  name. 

The  Flounder,  of  New  York,  Pleuronecles  Dentatus,  which  is  also 
frequently  taken,  though  moro  commonly  by  accident,  while  in  pursuit 
of  finer  fish,  than  as  the  angler's  prime  object,  is  rather  a  delicate  fish, 
and  often  bites  freely. 

With  this  brief  enumeration  of  sra-fish  I  shall  content  myself,  as  the 
description  and  habits  of  others,  though  curious,  and  full  of  interest 
to  the  icthyologist  and  student  of  nature,  belong  rather  to  the  depart- 
ment of  science,  than  to  the  craft  of  the  angler. 

I  may,  however,  mention,  not  as  objects  but  accessories  of  the  sport, 
the  Athorine,  Atherina  Menidia,  a  variety  of  the  fish  known  in  England 
as  the  Sand  Smelt,  here  commonly  called  the  Spoarling  or  Sparling, 
and  much  used  as  a  bait,  for  which  its  bright  silvery  colors  particu- 
ki-ly  adapt  it. 

The  British  variety  is  frequently  taken  with  the  hook ;  and  on  the 
Southern  coasts,  where  the  true  Smelt  is  unknown,  it  is  commonly 
known  and  sold  as  that  fish,  to  which  it  bears  some  degree  of  similarity 
in  flavor,  as  well  as  in  the  cucumber  smell  common  to  both  when 
freshly  taken  from  the  water. 

I  am  not  aware  that  the  American  fish  is  ever  eaten,  though  it  is 
very  abundant  on  the  coasts ;  in  appearance,  it  so  closely  resembles 
the  European  species,  that  on  a  slight  inspection  it  would  be  taken 
for  it. 

The  Sand  Launce,  Ammndytcs  Lnncen,  is  also  held  in  high  estima- 
tion as  a  bait  for  sea  and  hand  lin;s,  owing  to  its  silvery  brightness 
It  is  for  the  former  of  thes ;  little  fish  that  the  Blue-Fish,  Temnodon 


THE  OAME  FIBH  OF  NORTH   AMERICA. 


33 


Sultntor,  and  tho  Stripod  Bass,  Labrax  Lineatm^  striko  at  tho 
polished  bona,  p.'arl,  or  nutal  sqaid,  as  it  is  t;irmnd,  of  tho  fishor- 
inaQ,  when  it  is  mado  to  play  with  a  rotatory  motion,  glancing  throu2;h 
tho  water,  in  the  wake  of  a  swift-sailing  boat,  or  in  the  surf  upon  the 
outer  beaches. 

Having  now  accomplished  tho  dry  work  of  enumerating  and  classi- 
fying those  of  the  fish  of  America,  whether  fresh  or  salt-water,  which 
I  consider  worthy  of  tho  sportsman's  notice,  I  shall  proceed  to  describe 
them  more  or  loss  briefly,  according  to  th"  digroe  of  interest  attach- 
ing to  their  habits,  migrations,  growth,  and  breeding;  and  thereafter 
to  the  best  and  most  improved  mode  of  taking  them ;  best,  1  moan,  as 
regards  art,  piscatorial  science,  and  sport,  not  looking  to  the  mere 
amount  of  slaughter,  but  considering  in  this  instance  thu  suaviter  in 
modo,  long  before  the  mere  fortiter  in  re. 

And  here  I  will  venture  to  request  my  reader,  who  may  have  pro- 
ceeded thus  far  in  this  volume  without  finding  very  much  to  interest 
or  enlighten  him,  not  to  lay  by  its  pages  in  disgust ;  as  this  portion, 
necessarily  partaking  much  of  the  character  of  a  catalogue,  can  hardly 
be  expected  to  be  very  amusing,  while  I  think  I  can  promise  that  he 
will  find  something  to  awaken  his  interest,  whether  ho  be  a  scientific 
naturalist,  or  a  mere  sportsman,  before  he  has  advanced  many  pages 
farther;  inasmuch,  as  thanks  especially  to  tho  assistance  of  my  good 
friend  Professor  Aoassiz,  and  other  correspondents,  I  believe  I  shall 
have  the  pleasure  of  laying  before  him  something  that  is  not  only  new, 
but  curious  and  highly  interesting  concerning  the  growth,  the  breed- 
ing, and  the  varieties,  several  of  them  hitherto  undescribed,  of  the 
family  of  Salmon,  Salmonidce,  of  North  America,  to  the  consideration 
of  which  I  come  without  farther  delay 


^ 

1    \ 

"■^ 

*         '••   .  ■ 

■^ 

\  1 

»• 

AMERICAN   FISHES. 

'                 fl 

) 

SALMONIDiE, 

OB 

nn  T-r  "wn       r^      a      •«■     -m  jr   y-x   -k-r      nr*      a      -m  r  -r  -r     -w  -r 

THE  SALMON  FAMILY 


It  must  not  be  supposed,  although,  for  want  of  reflection  on  the 
subject,  many  persons  probably  may  expect  it,  that  the  closest  observer 
and  most  accurate  discriminator  of  the  facts  on  which  the  science  of 
the  naturalist  is  founded,  can  lay  down  the  law  with  regard  to  the 
habits,  the  food,  the  haunts,  the  appetites,  or  even  the  distinct  species, 
of  that  portion  of  the  animal  creation  which  dwell  for.  the  most  part 
unseen  in  the  bosom  of  the  waters,  with  the  same  certainty  as  he  can 
those  of  domestic  animals,  or  even  of  birds  and  beasts,  ferce  Tuiturd. 

Of  the  latter  even,  especially  of  wild  birds,  which  emigrate  from 
clime  to  clime  with  the  change  of  seasons,  there  has  been  much  diffi- 
culty in  ascertaining  the  growth,  the  age,  and  the  changes  of  plumage, 
from  the  immature  to  the  adult  animal,  or  from  the  winter  to  the  sum- 
mer dress — so  much  so,  that  out  of  individuals  differing  in  age,  sex,  or 
season,  of  the  same  family,  and  belonging  to  a  single  species,  in  many 
instances,  two,  three  or  more  distinct  varieties  have  been  created  by 
naturalists. 

Much  has  been  effected,  indeed,  of  late,  in  these  particulars,  owing 
to  the  great.er  science  and  experience  of  modern  natuialists — who  now 


£almonid;s. 


39 


■  prefer  the  investigation  of  facts  to  the  building  up  plausible  theories — 
to  the  greater  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  love  of  scientific  inquiry 
among  the  masses,  and,  in  no  slight  degree,  to  the  able  and  laborious 
system  of  experiments  which  have  been  set  on  foot  and  carried  out  by 
country  gentlemen  and  sportsmen,  to  many  of  whom  the  world  of 
letters  is  indebted  for  very  interesting  and  remarkable  discoveries. 

It  is  but  a  few  years,  comparatively  speaking,  since  that  accurate 
observer  and  delightful  writer,  Gilbert  White,  of  Selborne,  the 
most  charming  rural  naturalist  whom  England — perhaps  the  world — 
has  produced,  thought  it  not  unworthy  of  his  time  or  talents  to  enter 
into  a  long  train  of  investigation  and  argument,  in  order  to  prove  that 
the  Swallow — as  then  appears  to  have  been  largely,  if  not  generally 
believed — did  not  pass  the  winter  months  in  a  torpid  state,  either  in 
the  hollows  of  decayed  trees  and  caverns,  or  beneath  the  waters  of 
stagnant  pools  and  morasses. 

In  like  manner  Mr.  Audubon  has  been  peculiarly  minute  in  describ- 
ing the  migrations  of  the  Sora  Rail,  as  witnessed  by  himself,  for  the 
purpose  of  counteracting  the  notion,  which  I  myself  still  know  to  be 
prevalent  among  the  vulgar  and  ignorant  where  these  birds  abound, 
that  they  burrow  in  the  mud  during  the  cold  season,  hybernating  like 
the  Marmot  or  the  Bear. 

If,  then,  errors  so  gross  were  commonly  in  vogue  concerning  animals, 
the  greater  portion  of  whose  life  is  spent  before  our  very  eyes ;  which 
make  their  nests,  rear  their  young,  come  and  go  visibly,  and  in  such 
manner  that  their  presence  and  absence,  nay,  the  periods  of  their 
departure  and  return,  must  be  observed  even  by  the  careless  and  inat- 
tentive looker-on;  much  more  is  it  to  be  expected  that  the  habits, 
nay,  the  sexes,  ages,  and  distinct  species  of  fish,  which  rarely  present 
themselves  to  the  eyes  even  of  the  most  curious  inquirers,  which  come 
and  go  unseen  and  unsuspected,  whose  mysteries  of  generation  and 
reproduction  are  all  performed  in  a  medium  the  least  penetrable  to  the 
eyes  of  science,  whose  changes  of  size  and  color,  from  infancy  to  matu- 
rity, pass  utterly  beyond  our  ken,  should  have  been  misconceived,  mis- 
interpreted, and  misdescribed. 

Within  the  last  few  years  more  has  been  done  to  elucidate  these 
mysteries,  and  to  bring  us  to  an  accurate  knowledge  of  this  interesting 


•'\ 


36 


AMEHICAN  FISHES. 


portion  of  the  animal  creation,  than  in  many  previous  centuries ;  and 
although  much  yet  remains,  infinitely  more,  doubtless,  than  has  been 
done,  still  we  have  very  recently  attained  much  certain  knowledge 
regarding  several  of  the  most  interesting  families ;  we  have  arrived  at 
results  which,  by  simple  deduction,  show  us  how  we  may  hope  to  arrive 
at  more,  having  now  obtained  data  wherefrom  to  advance  and  discover 
the  process  by  which  to  do  so. 

The  means  by  which  thus  much  has  been  accomplished,  may  be 
described  briefly,  as  the  taking  nothing  for  granted,  assuming  nothing 
on  hearsay  beyond  facts,  and  on  investigating  everything  carefully  and 
painfully,  not  following  too  readily  preconceived  opinions,  nor  being 
misled  by  mere  external  and  superficial  resemblances,  but  being  guided 
by  comparison  and  experiment,  as  founded  in  a  great  degree  on  ana- 
tomy and  osteology. 

In  the  examination  and  comparison  of  fishes,  the  clear  understand- 
ing of  a  few  simple  facts,  which  it  is  necessary  to  observe  and  record, 
will  enable  any  sportsman  to  describe  any  supposed  new  variety  or 
species,  with  such  accuracy  as  to  render  his  description  of  the  highest 
value  for  scientific  purposes ;  to  make  it,  in  short,  such  that  a  naturalist 
shall  be  justified  in  pronouncing  positively  thereupon  as  to  the  genus, 
species,  sex,  and  perhaps  age,  of  the  variety  described  or  discovered. 

The  first  point  to  be  observed  is  the  nature  of  the  fins,  as  hard-rayed 
and  spiny,  as  in  the  Pearch,  the  Bass,  and  others  which  it  is  needless 
here  to  enumerate;  or  soft-rayed  and  flexible,  as  in  the  Pike,  tho 
Salmon,  the  Carp,  and  many  more.  The  second,  is  the  position  of  the 
fins;  and  to  elucidate  this  point  to  the  unscientific  reader,  I  here 
subjoin  an  outline  with  references,  to  render  this  method  of  examina- 
tion comprehensible  and  easy  of  acquisition  to  anybody. 

The  subject  of  this  outline  is  the  young  of  the  Lake  Trout,  Salmo 
Trutta  Lin.  of  the  European  con  "nent.  This  figure,  which  is  taken 
by  permission  from  Mr.  Agassiz'  fine  v7ork,  Histoire  Nnturdfe  des 
Poissons  d^Eau  douce  de  L^Europe  Centrale,  represents  a  young  Sal- 
mon Trout,  taken  in  the  lake  of  Neufchatol,  at  the  end  of  summer, 
less  than  a  year  old.  The  lower  figure  gives  tho  outline  of  the  san^e 
fish,  as  seen  from  above.  Other  cuts  of  the  same  simple  description 
will  show  the  formation  of  the  head,  the  gill-covers  and  the  dentnl 


SALMONIDJE. 


37 


system,  from  which  after  the  fins,  and  the  number  of  vertebra,  the 
specific  distinctions  arc  most  easily  ascertained. 


It  will  be  seen  clearly,  at  the  slightest  inspection  of  the  beautiful 
little  fish  which  has  been  selected  as  the  subject  of  this  cut,  and  which 
is  a  species  of  Lake  Trout  from  the  continent  of  Europe,  that  it  has 
eight  fins  in  all,  including  the  tail,  six  of  which  are  displayed  m  the 
lateral  view,  two  being  on  the  farther  side ;  and  seven  in  the  view  of 
the  back  taken  from  above  ;  the  eighth,  which  is  indicated  by  a  dotted 
line,  being  on  the  under  part  of  the  fish. 

Of  these  appendages,  by  which  the  motion,  position  in  the  water 
and  direction  of  the  animal  are  regulated;  the  two  nearest  the  head, 
one  on  either  side,  a  a,  are  the  pectorals;  the  two  somewhat  farther 
back,  one  on  either  side,  bb,  are  the  ventrals;  the  one  on  the  under 
side,  yet  farther  back,  c,  the  anal;  the  tail,  d,  the  caudal;  and  the 
two  on  the  ridge  of  the  back,  ee,  the  dorsal ;  f  is  the  lateral  line. 

These  are  all  the  denominations  of  fins  possessed  by  any  fish, 
although  the  number  and  size,  as  well  as  the  structure,  vary  in  the 
various  species,  which  are  thus  easily  distinguished. 

Of  these  fins,  all  the  classos  of  fish,  concerning  which  this  book  will 
treat,  with  one  exception,  the  apodal  Malacopterygii,  one  species  of 
which  will  be  slightly  nicutioned.  all  possess  the  following: — 


ifij 


m: 


38 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


Two  pectorals. 
Two  ventrals. 
One  anal. 
One  caudal. 
One  dorsal. 

No  fish  has  more  than  two  pectorals,  or  two  ventrals;  many  ha\j 
several  anals,  and  several  dorsals;  none,  unless  deformed  or  monstrous, 
has  more  than  one  caudal. 

The  apodal  Malacopterygii,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  lack  the  ven- 
trals entirely;  wherefore  their  name  apodal,  footless;  the  ventral 
being  assumed  as  performing  the  function  of  feet  in  the  quadruped, 
although  somewhat  fancifully. 

Now,  on  the  texture  of  these  fins  is  founded  the  distinction  between 
the  two  first  orders  of  fishes,  as  instituted  by  Baron  Cuvier  ;  the  first 
order,  Acanthopterygii,  having  the  rays,  by  which  the  filamentous 
part  of  the  fine  is  supported  and  extended,  in  part  hard,  spinous,  and 
in  some  species,  sharp  and  prickly;  whence  the  designation;  "acam- 
Mos,"  signifying  a  thorn ;  while  the  second  order,  Malacopterygii ,  have 
these  rays  invariably  soft  and  flexible,  as  the  term,  derived  from 
"  malacos,"  soft,  sufficiently  indicates. 

This  distinction  is  so  easily  drawn,  that  when  once  mentioned  it 
cannot  be  missed  or  overlooked  by  the  most  superficial  observer ;  and  as 
to  one  or  other  of  these  orders  belongs  every  fish,  without  an  excep- 
tion, of  which  the  sportsman  takes  cognizance — I  do  not  of  course 
include  shell-fish — its  importance  is  self-evident. 

Of  the  spiny-finned  fishes,  though  there  are  many  families,  and  many 
species  of  each  family,  there  are  no  great  subordinate  divisions. 

Of  the  flexible-finned  fishes,  on  the  contrary,  there  are  three 
strongly-dofined  divisions,  of  which  the  largest  is  that  containing 

The  abdominal  Malacopterygii ;  in  all  of  which  the  two  ventral 
fins,  BB,  are  situate  on  the  belly,  attached  to  the  walls  of  the  stomach, 
and  deriving  no  support  from  the  bones  of  the  shoulder.  To  this  divi- 
sion belongs,  among  many  others,  the  subject  of  the  outline  cut  on 
page  37,  the  European  Lake  Trout ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  all  the 
family  of  the  Salmonida.  The  fishes  of  this  division  can  be  readily 
distinguished,  on  a  mere  external  examination,  by  the  fact  that  the 


SALMONIU^. 


39 


ventral  fins,  bb,  are  situated  much  farther  back  than  in  those  of  the 
next  division,  occupying  a  position  nearly  longitudinally  posterior  to 
the  pectorals,  a  a  ;  while  in  those  to  which  1  next  proceed,  they  are 
nearly  vertically  below  them. 

The  second  grand  division  of  the  flexible-finned  fishes  consists  of 
the  Sub-hrachinl  Mnlacopterygii;  in  all  of  which  the  ventral  fins,  bb, 
are  placed  very  near  to  the  pectorals,  a  a,  the  bones  supporting  the 
former  being  attached  to  the  bones  of  the  shoulder  which  support  the 
latter.  The  term  sub-brachial  briefly  expresses  this  formation,  signi- 
fying "  having  lower  arms " — to  which  human  limb  the  reference  is 
pointed  by  the  connexion  of  the  fin,  in  this  division,  to  the  shoulder. 

The  third  division  of  the  flexible-finned  fishes,  to  which  I  allude 
rather  to  complete  the  subject,  than  that  they  fall  regularly  into  the 
angler's  way,  consists  of  those  designated  by  Baron  Cuvier  as  the 
Apodal  Malacopterygii ;  in  all  of  which  the  ventrals  are  entirely 
wanting.  To  this  division  belong  the  families  of  MiiranidcBy  and  An- 
guillida;,  Congers,  Eels,  and  their  congeners. 

First  then,  having  noted  whether  the  fish  we  desire  to  know  more 
minutely  has  hard  or  flexible  fln-rays,  and  then,  having  ascertained 
by  the  position  of  his  ventral  fins,  if  soft-finned,  to  which  division  he 
belongs,  by  examining  the  number  and  position,  as  well  as  the  texture 
of  the  dorsal  and  anal  fins,  we  shall  speedily  discover  his  family  ;  or  if 
we  have  no  book  at  hand  to  which  we  can  refer,  we  can  easily  so 
describe  him  by  letter  to  some  competent  person,  as  will  enable  him 
readily  to  enlighten  us  on  the  subject. 

To  show  the  importance  of  possessing  even  the  small  degree  of 
knowledge  conveyed  in  these  last  few  pages,  I  will  merely  observe 
that  if  the  settlers  of  the  shores  of  the  Otsego  had  been  even  so  far 
advanced  in  the  science,  they  had  not  committed  the  blur  c  of  mis- 
naming the  excellent  fish  of  their  waters,  the  Otsego  Bass  ;  when 
it  is  in  truth  one  of  the  Salmon  family — the  former  being  a  spiny,  the 
latter  a  soft-finned  family. 

A  few  steps  more  would  have  prevented  our  Southern  friends  from 
the  commission  of  the  absurdity  of  designating  a  variety  of  Weak- 
Fish  as  Trout — two  fish  which  have  not  the  most  remote  connexion ; 
and  so  on  ad  infinitum. 


-  V 


IT'' 


40 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


All  the  family  of  Salmonidct^  or  Salmons,  have  twu  dorsal  fins,  a» 
will  be  observed  in  the  outline  figure  on  page  37 ;  the  hinder  one  of 
which  has  no  rays,  but  is  merely  a  fleshy  or  fatty  appendage.  Had 
the  Otscgoites  known  this  simple  fact,  they  would  at  once  have  per- 
ceived that  their  fish  not  only  was  not  a  Bass,  but  was  a  Salmon.  And 
this  same  degree  of  attainment  would  have  prevented  the  application 
of  the  misnomer  Trout  to  the  Weak-Fish.  I  have  observed  this  \ery 
day,  in  the  columns  of  a  distinguished  weekly  journal,  an  offer  on  the 
part  of  a  correspondent  to  describe  the  habits,  &c.,  of  the  Siisque- 
hannah  Salmon !  There  being  notoriously  no  Salmon  in  that  or  any 
Southern  stream,  although  the  Brook  Trout  abound  in  its  upper 
waters,  I  venture  at  once  to  predict  that  this  Salmon  will  turn  out  to 
be  the  fish  described  by  DeKay  as  Liicioperca  Americana^  and  vari- 
ously called  Ohio  Salmon  and  Ohio  Pickerel ;  being  neither,  but  a 
species  of  the  Pearch  family,  with  one  spiny  dorsal  fin. 

I  hope  these  brief  facts  will  induce  sportsmen  to  give  a  little  atten- 
tion to  this  subject ;  and  that  they  will  not  be  alarmed  by  the  harsh- 
ness or  apparent  difiiculty  of  a  few  foreign  terms,  nor  sufl'er  themselves 
to  be  deterred  by  a  mere  show  of  trouble  from  acquiring,  in  a  few 
minutes,  that  which  will  surely  give  them  years  of  gratification. 

More  direct  instruction  in  regard  to  the  mode  of  observation,  and 
the  point  to  be  observed,  will  be  given  under  the  head  of  each  par- 
ticular fish,  in  the  body  of  the  work  ;  but  I  will  here  point  out  that  it 
is  very  well  to  note  down  the  number  of  rays  severally  contained  in 
the  pectoral,  ventral,  anal,  caudal,  and  dorsal  fins  of  any  fish  which  is 
suspected  of  being  an  undescribed  or  distinct  variety ;  as  on  this,  as 
well  as  on  the  shape  of  these  appendages,  much  depends  in  distin- 
guishing individual  species  of  the  same  family. 

I  will  here,  in  corroboration  of  the  last  remark,  state  in  two  words, 
that  next  to  the  arrangement  of  the  gill-covers,  of  which  more  anon, 
the  fact  on  which  Yarrel  relies  most  strongly  for  distinguishing  the 
Bull-Trout,  Salino  Eriox,  from  the  true  Salmon,  Sal/no  Salar,  is 
this,  that  the  caudal  fin  of  the  former  is  convex,  while  that  of  the  latter 
is  more  or  less  concave,  or  forked,  in  proportion  to  the  age  of  the 
individual  fish. 

I  shall  now  pass  to  the  consideration  of  the  gill-covers,  the  appa 


regul 
norma 
VVl 
singu 
frequc 

type, 

ver, 

Th 
who  a 
and  re 
the  ti 


SALMON!  D;E. 


4t 


ratus  by  means  of  which  the  fish  breathes  ;  in  other  words,  by  which 
the  oxygen  is  separated  from  the  water,  in  which  the  animal  exists,  as 
it  enters  by  the  mouth  and  passes  out  at  the  aperture  of  the  gills,  con- 
veying its  influence  to  the  blood  in  its  passage. 

This  apparatus  being  of  course  of  the  highest  degree  of  importance 
to  the  animal,  varies  in  form  and  structure  according  to  the  various 
exigencies  of  the  different  species  to  whip'  t  is  attached  ;  and  it  is 
therefore  of  great  value  to  the  observer  i.'  distinguishing  one  family, 
and  even  one  species  of  the  same  family,  fr^  m  another. 

With  regard  to  the  family  of  which  we  are  now  treating,  the  Saf- 
monida:,  beyond  all  question  the  most  important  and  most  interesting 
to  the  sportsman,  as  being  the  gamcst,  boldest,  and  strongest  of  all 
the  fish  with  which  he  has  to  do,  and  to  the  epicure  likewise,  as  afford- 
ing the  greatest  varieties  of  the  most  delicious  food,  the  remarks  I  am 
about  to  make  have  especial  application. 

Of  no  other  family  known  to  the  sportsman,  are  the  species  so 
numerous,  and  so  difficult  of  definition  ;  and  not  only  the  truly  distinct 
species,  but  the  subordinate  varieties,  produced  in  the  same  species 
by  difference  of  food,  of  water,  of  bottom-ground  in  the  lakes  or  rivers 
haunted  by  each,  and  even  by  the  degrees  of  light  or  shadow  which 
affects  the  localities  which  thoy  haunt.  These  varieties,  often  differ- 
ing by  many  pounds'  weight,  colors  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word, 
not  tints  or  shades  of  hue,  quality  of  flesh,  and  shape,  are  by  no  means 
to  be  set  down  as  distinct  and  permanent  species  ;  for  it  will  be  found 
that  a  transposition  of  these  from  one  place  to  another,  and  even  the 
regular  course  of  reproduction,  will  bring  them  back  to  the  original  or 
normal  type. 

What  strikes  us,  moreover,  at  first  sight,  as  in  no  small  degree 
singular,  is  the  fact,  that  different  varieties  of  one  species  will  very 
frequently  differ  more  widely  from  one  another,  and  from  the  original 
type,  so  far  as  those  externals  which  strike  the  mere  superficial  obser- 
ver, than  entirely  distinct  and  immutable  species. 

This  it  is  which  so  often  leads  common  and  vulgar-minded  persons, 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  boasting  that  thoy  believe  their  own  eyes  only, 
and  resorting  to  other  absurdities  of  that  kind,  and  who  will  not  take 
the  trouble  of  connecting  causes  and  effects,  or  considering  logical 


•<4il 


48 


AMERICAN  FISHK'S. 


consequences,  to  disregard,  and  even  to  hold  in  contempt,  the  teach- 
ings of  scientific  men,  as  mere  theoretical  dreaniorH,  useless  coiners 
of  hard  terms,  and  founders  of  distinctions,  foundod  upon  no  diflFerencc. 

Such,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is  too  often  the  habit  of  sportsmen  ;  who 
will  frequently  give  ear  to  the  superstitious  and  absurd  garrulity  of 
some  rustic  ignoramus,  who  pronounces  his  absolute  yea  or  nay  upon 
some  fact  about  which  he  is  utterly  ignorant,  and  who  has  no  earthly 
qualification  for  judging  on  the  qualities  of  the  bird,  beast,  or  fish  in 
question,  than  that  of  having  seen  it  so  often  that  he  ought  to  know 
something  about  it,  which  he  does  not ;  while  they  turn  away  contemp- 
tuously, or  listen  coldly  to  the  teachings  of  the  man,  whose  arguments 
are  founded  upon  facts  that  cannot  err,  upon  deductions  drawn  from 
differences  of  anatomical  structure,  permanent  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration, and  liable  to  no  modification  by  the  change  of  external  circum- 
stances. 

This  it  is  which  renders  the  structure  of  the  fins,  the  shape  of  the 
gills,  the  system  of  the  teeth,  and  other  matters  of  the  same  kind, 
which  pass  wholly  unnoticed  by  the  clod-hopping  hunter,  of  all  import- 
ance in  distinguishing  one  species  from  another  ;  while  the  size,  the 
weight,  the  color  and  number  of  the  spots,  things  to  which  he  will 
point  as  decisive  with  all  the  pig-headed  presumption  of  self-conceited 
ignorance,  are  of  little,  if  any  weight,  as  varying  in  individuals,  and 
not  transmitted,  like  to  like,  through  generations. 

Almost  all  the  really  distinct  species  of  the  Salmonida  are  distin- 
guished principally  one  from  another  by  the  form  of  the  head  and  the 
structure  of  the  gills  in  the  first  degree,  and  by  the  dental  system  in 
the  second.  Any  permanent  and  unvarying  difference  in  these, 
coupled  to  other  variations  of  color,  form,  habit,  or  the  like,  which 
might  otherwise  be  deemed  casual,  being  held  sufiicient  to  constitute 
a  distinct  species. 

Many  discoveries  have  been  made  through  these  means  of  late  years ; 
many  varieties,  which  were  formerly  supposed  to  be  truly  distinct, 
having  been  proved  to  be  identical ;  and  many  new  species  discovered 
— the  tendency  of  the  whole  having  been  to  simplify,  and  to  diminish 
the  number  of  species,  in  the  upshot,  and  thereby  to  decrease  the 
labors  of  the  student,  and  to  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  science. 


SALMONID^. 


4^ 


Much,  however,  yet  remains  to  be  done,  as  will  be  rendered  evident 
by  the  consideration  that,  even  in  so  circumscribed  a  territory  as  Great 
Britain,  every  water  of  which  has  been  explored,  and,  it  may  bo  pre- 
sumed, almost  every  fish  submitted  to  the  examination  of  scientific 
men,  great  doubts  yet  exist  concerning  many  forms,  especially  of  this 
family  of  Sahionida,  whether  they  are  absolutely  distinct,  or  merely 
casual  varieties,  incapable  of  reproduction. 

In  this  country,  with  its  boundless  lakes  and  gigantic  rivers — all 
those  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  and  all  those  feeding  the  tribu- 
taries, or  lying  in  the  vast  basin, of  the  St.  Lawrence,  as  well  as  all 
those  on  the  western  or  Pacific  coast,  flowing  down  through  the  Sacra- 
mento and  Columbia,  or  wasting  in  the  arid  sands  or  wet  morasses  of 
the  Great  Central  Basin,  all  teeming  with  varieties,  perhaps  distinct 
species  of  the  Salmon — what  a  vast,  what  an  unexplored  field  for  the 
sportsman,  the  naturalist ;  and  how  doubly  charming  for  him  who  unites 
in  one  individual  both  capacities.  But  two  distinct  varieties  of  the 
American  Lake  Trout,  or  at  the  most  three,  are  as  yet  made  out — for 
I  think  it  doubtful  whether  there  be  any  positive  grounds  on  which  to 
establish  a  distinction  between  the  Salmo  Confinis  of  DeKay,  known 
in  the  Eastern  States  and  New  York  as  the  common  Lake  Trout,  and 
the  Salmo  Amethystus  of  Mitchil,  known  as  the  Mackinaw  Salmon. 
The  Salmo  Siskawitz  of  Agassiz,  discovered  in  the  course  of  the  past 
summer  in  lakes  Superior  and  Huron,  is  clearly  a  marked  and  perma- 
nent species.  That  there  is  yet  one  other  distinct  species,  the  Sebago 
Lake  Trout,  I  fully  believe,  but  only  having  heard  of  it  by  oral 
description,  I  dare  not  take  upon  myself,  without  examination  and 
comparison,  to  decide  the  question. 

Again  ;  another  huge  fish  is  constantly  mentioned  as  taken  at  times 
in  the  lakes  of  Hamilton  county,  in  New  York,  which,  if  it  be  not,  as 
[  believe  it  is,  a  gigantic  casual  variety  of  the  common  Brook  Trout, 
Salmo  Fontinalis,  is  certainly  a  distinct  fish. 

A  slight  examination  of  the  gills,  teeth,  and  fins,  will  at  once  settle 
this  point. 

Of  the  common  Trout,  but  one  species  is  as  yet  firmiy  ascertained, 
unless  the  Red-bellied  Trout,  Salmo  Erythrogaster,  of  DeKay,  prove 
to  be  a  distinct  form  ;  which  I,  for  one,  do  not  at  all  believe.  The 
Troutlet  of  that  author  is  merely  the  young  of  the  common  Trout. 


44 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


Whether  there  exists  a  Sahuoi,  Trout  or  Silver  Trout,  Salmo  Trutta 
Marina^  at  all  in  American  wute.-s,  apart  from  the  Sulmon-peal,  Grilwe 
and  common  Trout,  having  access  to  salt-water,  likewise  remains  to 
bo  proved,  by  the  aid  of  those  easy  methods  of  examination,  the  use  of 
which  I  so  earnestly  desire  to  impress  upon  my  friends  and  fellow- 
sportsmen,  not  merely  as  an  aid  to  science,  but  as  an  immense  addition 
to  their  own  individual  gratification,  when  in  pursuit  of  their  finny 
prey  by  the  wild  margin  of  some  far  woodland  lake,  or  on  the  rockj^ 
borders  of  some  lone  torrent  of  the  wilderness. 

That  many  new  species,  entirely  unsuspected  and  uudescibed,  still 
remain  to  be  found  and  recorded  in  our  waters,  I  hold  to  be  undoubted  ; 
when  they  will  be  discovered,  or  by  whom,  is  another  (Question ;  for  I 
regret  to  say  it,  as  yet  the  spirit  of  science,  and  the  desire  to  facili- 
tate and  assist  the  inquiries  of  the  man  of  letters,  has  scarcely  pene- 
trated the  breast  of  the  American  sportsman ;  and  while,  in  England 
and  on  the  European  Continent,  many  the  most  distinguished  corres- 
pondents of  the  literary  and  scientific  institutions  of  tliose  lands  are 
sportsmen,  who  have  contributed  most  highly  to  the  advancement  of 
knowledge  by  their  investigations,  experiments  and  contributions,  we 
can,  on  this  side,  alas  !  point  to  but  two  or  three  of  the  sporting  frater- 
nity who  have  cared  to  record  themselves  as  anything  more  than  killers 
of  animals ;  of  the  habits,  characteristics,  and  even  names  of  which 
they  are  but  too  often  grossly  ignorant. 

A  few  there  are,  it  is  true,  Avho  aspire  to  higher  things,  and  who 
are  actuated  by  something  more  than  the  mere  love  of  killing,  the 
mere  ambition  of  boasting  of  bag;  and  among  these,  may  their  num- 
ber increase  daily!  it  will  not,  I  hope,  be  deemed  impertinent  to 
specify  the  author  of  "  The  Birds  of  Long  Island,"  who,  from  a  sports- 
man of  no  secondary  skill  or  energy,  has  successfully  aspired  to  the 
honors  of  a  naturalist;  and  has  most  deservedly  acquired,  as  such,  no 
small  degree  of  celebrity  and  favor. 

From  this  short  excursion,  into  which  I  have  been  naturally  led 
in  the  course  of  my  subject,  I  return  to  the  description  of  the  gill- 
covers  of  fish,  and  thereafter  to  the  dental  system,  the  method  of  com- 
paring which  I  shall  lay  down  briefly  for  the  use  of  the  learner,  and 
then  proceed  at  ince  to  the  history  of  sporting-fishes. 


balmonida:. 


4ft 


Tlio  subjoct,  wli it'll  1  now  prosont,  is  the  lirud  of  tho  Silvitr  Trout 
of  Eiiropo,  Su/mo  iMcuslrls,  a  species  found  in  tho  large  lakes  of  that 
continent.  The  figure  is  copied,  by  permission,  from  Professor 
AoAssiz'  great  work  on  tho  "  Fresh-water  Fishes  of  Central  Europe." 


■  [J^ii>u^- 


The  gill-covers  of  all  the  fishes  of  the  three  first  divisions,  with 
which  alone  wo  have  to  do,  consist  of  four  principal  parts,  and  their  use 
is  to  close  tho  aperture  behind  the  gills,  which  in  all  these  three 
divisions  is  so  formed,  and  so  freely  or  loosely  suspended,  that  the 
water  bathes  in  its  passage  every  part  of  their  surface. 

Those  parts  are,  tho  pre-operaduin,  or  fore-gill-cover,  No.  1 ;  the 
opercidiim,  or  gill-covor  proper,  No.  2 ;  the  sub-operculum,  or  under- 
gill-covor,  No.  3;  and  the  inter-opercuhun,  or  intermediate  gill-cover, 
No.  4.  The  branc/Uostegous  rays,  as  they  are  termed,  are  indicated 
by  No.  5;  and  tho  fi.Kod  plates,  forming  the  posterior  immovable  mar- 
gin of  the  gill-covors,  by  No.  6.  N.  7.  indicates  the  pectoral  du. 

How  widely  those  parts  diflFor  in  form,  in  different  species  of  the 
Salmon  tribe,  will  become  at  once  apparent  by  a  comparison  between 
tho  gill-covors  in  the  figure  above,  and  those  of  tho  true  Salmon,  Sol- 
mo  Salar,  and  the  BuU-Trout,  Salino  Eriox^  Nos.  2  and  3,  on  the 
following  cut,  which,  with  these,  presents  a  view  of  the  interior  of  the 
mouth  and  tho  dental  system  of  the  common  Trout,  Salmo  Fario,  of 
Grcnt  Britain. 


m 


40 


AMERICAN  I'lHtlEA. 


D  C 


^&S/i. 


In  figure  2  of  thia  cut,  representing  the  gill-cover  of  the  true 
Salmon,  it  will  strike  any  casual  observer  that  the  hinder  margin  of 
the  whole  covering  forms  nearly  a  semicircle,  while  that  of  No.  3,  the 
Bull  Trout,  approaches  more  nearly  to  a  rectangular  figure.  In  the 
former,  the  pre-opcrculumj  fore-gill-cover,  a,  differs  from  the  same 
part,  similarly  marked,  in  No.  3,  it  being  more  rectilinear ;  while  the 
operculum,  gill-cover  proper,  b,  of  the  former  slopes  hindward  and 
backward;  the  same  portion,  b,  in  No.  3,  cutting  in  a  horizontal  line 
upon  the  joints  of  the  sub-operculitm  and  inter-opcrculum. 

And  in  all  respeotji  both  diifer  entirely  from  the  arrangement  of 
the  same  parts  in  the  head  of  the  Silver  Trout,  exhibited  in  the  cut  lost 
preceding  at  page  45. 

The  most  striking  consequence  of  these  differences  is,  that  a  straight 
line,  drawn  backward  from  the  front  teeth  of  the  upper  jaw,  the 
mouth  being  closed,  to  the  longest  posterior  projection  of  the  gill- 
cover,  will,  in  the  throe  fish,  run  at  a  totally  different  angle  to  the 
horizontal  line  of  the  body ;  and  will  occupy  an  entirely  different  situ- 
ation in  respect  to  the  eye ;  such  a  line  in  the  head  of  the  Salmon, 
Salmo  Salar,  and  in  the  Silver  Trout,  Salmo  Lacustris,  passing  close 
below  the  orbit  of  the  eye ;  while  in  that  of  the  Bull  Trout,  Salmo 
ErioXj  it  will  run  obliquely  very  far  below  it. 

This  distinction  is  very  easy  of  observation,  and  is  extremely  im- 
portant in  the  definition  of  species ;  as  indeed  is  everything  connected 


nAI,MOMU<E. 


47 


with  til ;  form  and  piiculiaritios  of  thu  head,  not  forgetting  itn  relative 
proportion  to  t\v)  ontiro  lon^^th  of  tho  body. 

Of  no  loAS  viiluo  is  tho  arranj^omont  of  tho  tooth  in  the  diflFercnt 
classes,  families  and  spooics  of  fish ;  there  being,  on  this  point,  infinitely 
greater  variety  than  can  bo  imagined  by  persons  who  havo  given  their 
attention  only  to  the  structure  of  quadrupeds. 

''  Tho  tooth,"  says  Mr.  Yarrel,  in  tho  introduction  to  his  fine  work 
on  British  Fishes — from  which  I  havo  taken  the  liberty  of  borrowing 
the  last  cut,  descriptive  of  tho  gill-covers  and  dtmtal  system  of  tho 
Salmon,  BuU-Trout,  and  common  Trout — "  of  fishes  are  so  constant, 
as  well  as  permanent  in  their  characters,  as  to  be  worthy  of  particular 
attention.  In  the  opinion  of  tho  best  icthyologists,  they  are  second 
only  to  the  fins,  which  in  their  number,  situation,  size  and  form,  are 
admitted  to  be  of  first-rate  importance. 

"  Some  fishes  havo  tooth  attached  to  all  tho  bones  that  assist  in  form- 
ing tho  cavity  of  the  mouth  and  pharynx,  to  the  intermaxillary,  the 
maxillary,  an<l  palatine  bones,  the  vomer,  the  tongue,  the  branchial 
arches  supi'  .  uug  the  gills,  and  the  pharyngeal  bones.  Sometimes 
the  teeth  are  uniform  in  shape  on  the  various  bones,  at  others  diflfering. 
One  or  more  of  these  bones  are  sometimes  without  teeth  of  any  sort ; 
and  there  are  fishes  that  havo  no  teeth  whatever  on  any  of  them.  The 
teeth  are  named  according  to  the  bones  upon  which  they  are  placed ; 
and  are  referred  to,  as  maxillary,  intermaxillary,  palatine,  vomerine, 
&c. — depending  upon  their  position. 

"  A  reference  to  page  46,  will  show  the  situation  of  the  teeth  in  the 
Trout,  with  five  rows  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  mouth,  and  foui 
rows  below;  the  particular  bones  upon  which  these  rows  are  placed, 
are  also  referred  to." 

Mr.  Yarrel  then  proceeds  to  descant,  somewhat  too  largely  for 
extraction  in  a  work  of  this  description,  on  the  form,  position  and  uses 
of  tho  various  teeth  in  difiFerent  families  of  fishes ;  but  the  gist  of  his 
remarks  I  prefer  combining  under  the  heads  of  the  various  fishes  to 
which  they  belong ;  and  I  shall  only  add  here,  that  in  .some  species 
the  teeth  are  arranged  as  in  the  Salmonida,  in  duplicate  or  triplicate 
rows  of  single  teeth ;  in  others  in  dense  patches,  occupying  sometimes 
the  greater  part  of  the  palat'^,  set  like  the  bristles  on  a  shoe-brush,  as 
in  the  Esoddcc  or  Pike  family ;  and  again  in  othars,  as  tho  species 


'i; 


\ 


/MERICAN   FI9HKS. 


Labrax,  of  the  family  Percidee,  to  which  belongs  our  own  noble  Striped 
Bass,  they  cover  the  whole  tongue,  besides  being  thickly  set  oq  the 
palate. 

The  position  and  shape  of  these,  teeth  indicate  as  clearly  the  habits, 
mode  of  feeding,  and  the  food,  of  the  various  families  to  which  they 
belong,  as  do  the  teeth  of  tho  carnivorous,  ruminating,  or  gnawing 
quadrupeds  inform  the  naturalist  whether  the  creature,  of  which  the 
jaw-bone  only  lies  before  him,  fed  on  animal  substances,  on  grass,  on 
grain,  or  on  the  bark  and  hard-shelled  nuts  of  trees;  or  as  the  beaks 
find  bills  of  birds  tell  the  experienced  looker-on  whether  the  owner 
was  a  bird  of  prey,  an  insect-eating  warbler,  or  a  grain-cracker. 

The  distinction,  therefore,  which  is  founded  upon  the  difference  of 
the  teeth  in  different  fishes,  is  by  no  means  fanciful,  or  resorted  to 
merely  to  enable  naturalists  to  display  their  ingenuity  in  making 
definitions,  and  multiplying  species,  as  many  people  stolidly  imagine; 
but  is  real  and  permanent,  as  representing  the  great  sub-divisions  of 
the  dwellers  of  the  waters,  as  those  which  feed  on  living,  those  which 
feed  on  dead  animals  of  their  own  species,  as  insect-eaters,  or  mas- 
ticators of  hard  shell-fish,  and  so  forth,  unto  the  end.  Differences, 
which  even  the  most  bigotted  enemy  of  scientific  distinctions  must 
admit  to  be  as  real,  and  true  in  nature,  as  those  between  the  tiger  and 
the  wolf,  the  ox  that  chews  his  cud,  and  the  horse  which  fattens  at  the 
manger. 

I  have  known  a  sage  coroner  in  England,  who  was  wont  to  indulge 
in  sapient  ridicule  of  the  learned  professions,  and  to  sneer  at  anatomi- 
cal and  physiological  distinctions,  who  gravely  sat  in  inquest  over 
some  exhumed  bones,  and  solemnly  recorded  a  verdict  of  wilful  murder 
against  some  person  or  persons  unknown,  tho  skeleton,  when  examined, 
turning  out  to  be  that  of  a  defunct  cow. 

Such  instances  are  becoming,  I  am  happy  to  say,  rare,  as  regards 
men  in  general,  and  those  sciences  which  regard  the  human  race, 
and  domestic  animals.  Why  it  should  not  be  so  with  the  sports- 
man, I  know  not ;  but  too  true  it  is,  that  most  of  that  fraternity  obsti- 
nately adhere  to  ancient  error,  even  when  it  is  clearly  pointed  out ; 
and  attempt  to  ridicule  tho  man  of  letters  as  a  mere  theorist,  and 
unpractical,  for  attempting  to  correct  them  in  thi^ir  blunders  of 
nomenclature,  whereby  they  confus'j  all  the  tribes  of  the  eai'th,  the 


\, 


\ 


SALMONIDiE. 


49 


air,  and  the  water,  and  all  the  things  that  have  life,  whether  animal 
or  vegetable,  therein. 

Little  are  they  aware  how  fantastic  are  the  tricks  which  they  play, 
\  "  like  angry  apes  before  high  heaven,"  in  the  eyes  of  all  those,  whether 

naturalists  or  sportsmen,  who  do  not  confound  conceit  with  knowledge, 
or  wit  with  impertinent  vulgarity. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  a  few  observations  with  regard  to  the  figure 
No.  1,  in  the  last  wood-cut,  on  page  46,  which  represents  the  inte- 
rior of  the  mouth,  opened  to  the  utmost,  of  the  common  Trout  of 
\  Great  Britain  and  the  European  continent,  Salmo  Fario;  which  is 

selected  by  Mr.  Yarrel  as  "showing" — to  borrow  his  own  words — 
"the  most  complete  series  of  teeth  among  the  SalmonidcE ;  and  tho 
value  of  the  arrangement,  as  instruments  for  seizure  and  prehension, 
arising  from  the  interposition  of  the  diflferent  rows,  the  four  lines  of 
teeth  on  the  lower  surface  alternating,  when  the  mouth  is  closed,  with 
the  five  rows  on  the  upper  surface,  those  on  the  vomer  shutting  in 
between  the  two  rows  on  the  tongue,"  &c. 

In  this  cut,  letter  a  represents  the  situation  of  the  row  of  teeth  that 
is  fixed  on  the  central  bone  of  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  called  the  vomer, 
from  some  fancied  resemblance  to  the  share  of  a  plough,  for  which 
the  word  used  is  the  Latin  term ;  bb,  refer  to  the  teeth  on  the  right 
and  left  palatine  bones ;  c,  to  the  row  of  hooked  teeth  on  each  side  of 
the  tongue;  dd,  to  the  row  of  teeth  outside  the  palatine  bones,  on  the 
upper  jaw,  which  are  those  of  the  superior  maxillary  bones;  and  ee, 
to  the  outside  row  on  the  maxillary  bones  of  the  lower  jaw. 

Now  it  will  readily  be  understood  what  is  the  importance  of  exam- 
ining carefully  this  system  of  toeth,  in  the  different  varieties  of  the 
salmon  family,  whether  called  Salmon,  Salmon  Trout,  Lake  Trout, 
Brook  Trout,  or  any  other  local  name  whatsoever ;  when  it  is  stated 
that  the  distinct  species  are  very  strongly  and  permanently  indicated 
by  the  number  of  teeth  found  in  each  upon  tho  vomer,  central  bone 
of  the  roof  the  mouth. 

In  tho  true  Salmon,  the  teeth  on  the  vomer  very  rarely  exceed 
two ;  and  sometimes  there  is  but  one. 

In  the  Bull-Trout,  the  toeth  are  longer  and  stronger  than  those  of 
the  true  Salmon;  but,  like  that  fish,  he  has  but  two,  or  at  most  three 
teeth  on  the  vomer ;  he  is  distinguished,  according  to  the  authorities, 


lit' 


i 


r.o 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


by  the  diflFerent  formation  of  his  gill-covers,  and  the  convex  form  of 
his  caudal  fin,  whence  he  is  said  to  be  termed  the  Round-tail  in  the 
river  Annan,  in  Scotland.  This  fish  is  unknown  in  America,  and  is 
merely  mentioned  for  the  sake  of  example  and  illustration. 

In  the  Salmon  Trout  of  Great  Britain,  Salvio  Trutta  Lin.,  a  mi- 
gratory fish,  growing  to  a  very  large  size,  the  teeth  extend  nearly  the 
whole  length  of  the  vomer,  thereby  establishing  a  distinction  between 
this  and  the  two  aforenamed  species. 

Of  the  common  Trout,  we  have  already  seen  the  dental  arrange- 
ment. In  the  two  distinct  varieties  of  Lake  Trout,  recognised  by 
authorities  in  Great  Britain,  which  are  non-migratory,  and  analogous 
to  our  Lake  Trout ;  viz — 

In  the  Great  Gray  Trout,  or  Loch  Awe  Trout,  Salmo  Ferox,  which 
is  common  to  most  of  the  large  Scottish  and  Irish  inland  waters,  and 
which  is  pronounced  by  Mr.  Agassiz  to  be  distinct  from  any  of  the 
continental  Lake  Trout, — these  teeth  extend  along  the  whole  length  of 
the  vomer. 

And  in  the  Lochleven  Trout,  Salmo  Levenens'n,  sive  Ceecifer,  Walk- 
er and  Palmer,  if  it  be  a  distinct  species  from  the  common  Trout, 
Salmo  Fario,  as  appears  to  be  conceded — although  I  must  say  I  doubt 
it,  as  I  do  the  Gillaroo,  which,  however,  is  more  doubtful — there  are 
thirteen  teeth  on  the  vomer,  extending  through  its  whole  length. 

It  would  be  well,  indeed,  if  American  anglers  would  take  a  little 
pains  about  the  examination  of  these  points,  and  would  note  them  down 
in  their  tablets — in  which,  doubtless,  they  insert  the  weight  of  their 
captives — together  with  the  relative  proportion  of  the  length  of  the 
head  to  that  of  the  entire  body ;  the  form  of  the  gill-covers  ;  and  rela- 
tive position  of  the  eye  to  a  line  drawn  from  the  front  teeth  to  the 
lower  posterior  angle  of  the  operculum  or  suboperculum,  as  it  may  be  ; 
the  number  of  rays  in  each  of  the  several  fins  ;  and  especially  the  form 
of  the  caudal  fin-tail — whether  forked,  concave,  square,  or  convex. 

A  very  few  memoranda  on  such  points  as  these,  accurately  recorded, 
and  assisted,  where  practicable,  by  the  roughest  sketch,  would  be  of 
greater  utility  to  the  cause  of  science,  than  can  be  readily  imagined ; 
and  we  should  undoubtedly  soon  arrive  ai',  facts  of  great  importance, 
and  perhaps  di.scov^r  some  new  and  inte;esting  spoeies  of  this  most 
interesting  family 


SALMON[D£. 


^J 


At  all  events,  we  should  not  be  tantalized  by  information  so  vague 
and  indefinite  as  that  conveyed  in  a  note  to  the  appendix,  contributed 
by  the  jnerabors  of  the  Piseco  club  to  Dr.  Bethune,  for  the  beautiful 
and  valuable  edition  of  Walton's  Angler  recently  given  to  the  Ameii- 
can  world — with  notes  on  American  fishing,  the  only  fault  of  which 
is  their  brevity — by  that  accomplished  fisherman  and  erudite  scholar, 
who  takes  no  shame  to  be  held  a  follower  of  the  gentle  art,  and  to 
poss:?ss  the  finest  piscatorial  library  owned  in  the  United  States, 
whether  by  private  individual  or  collective  body. 

"  In  June  of  this  year,"  says  the  nota  to  which  I  have  reference, 
"  the  president  of  this  club  killed  a  red-Jicsked  Lake  Trout  of  24  lbs. 
weight!"     And  no  more! 

Information  of  the  same  kind  has  been  given  to  me  by  Mr.  C.  Web- 
ber, the  author  of  some  pleasant  letters  on  Hamilton  County  Fishing, 
published  during  the  past  year  in  the  columns  of  the  New  York 
Courier  and  Enquirer ;  but,  unfortunately,  none  of  the  fortunate  takers 
have  noted  any  points  relative  to  this  fish,  on  which  any  deliberate 
opinion  can  be  formed. 

The  fljsh  of  the  ordinary  Lake  Trouts  of  America,  ConfimSy  Aim- 
thystus,  and  Siskawltz,  are  all  pale,  dingy,  yellowish  bufi^,  tasteless, 
coarse,  muddy,  and  flaccid. 

It  seems  to  be  admitted  that  the  red-fleshed  Lake  Trout  is  of  more 
brilliant  external  coloring  than  the  common  variety. 

This  is  the  fish  of  which  I  have  spoken  at  page  43,  as  being  un- 
questionably a  distinct  species,  if  not  an  overgrown  and  gigantic  variety 
of  the  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fontinalis.  This  latter,  I  believe  to  be 
the  case;  though  it  Is  impossible  to  pronounce  positively,  without 
seeing  the  fish,  and  instituting  careful  comparison. 

The  fishermen  of  that  district,  on  the  lake,  assort,  I  understand, 
positively  that  this  is  not  the  case ;  but  of  course  their  opinion  is  utterly 
valueless,  being  founded  on  some  such  admirable  reason  as  that  th'! 
Brook  Trout  n<>ver  grows  to  be  above  five  or  six  pounds ;  meaning 
only  that  they  have  never  seen  what  they  take  to  be  one  over  that 
average.  Just  in  the  same  manner,  a  person  used  to  take  fish  only  in 
the  small  mountain  brooks  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  or  Vermont, 
might  tell  you  quite  as  plausibly,  quite  as  positively,  and  quite  as 
truthfully — so  far  as  his  miserable  experience  of  truth  goes — that  the 


.rM^'fT- 


'  KCm 


1,   '  'V[ 


,i  I 


>•  i.u  * , 


*'    I'M 


<  i 


62 


Al^ERICAN  FISHEb. 


Brook  Trout  never  grows  to  be  above  half  a  pound — noi;  does  it  in 
his  waters.  ^  'a 

The  common  Trout  of  England,  Salmo  Fario,  which  is  so  closely 
connected  with  our  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fontinalis,  as  to  be  constantly 
mistaken  for  it  by  casual  observers,  is  continually  taken  in  the  larger 
rivers,  especially  the  Thames,,  and  in  some  of  the  Irish  waters,  from 
ten  to  fifteen  pounds  in  weight.  Mr.  Yarrel,  when  preparing  his 
British  Fishes,  had  a  minute  before  him  of  six  Trout  taken  in  the 
Thames,  above  Oxford,  by  minnow-spinning,  which  weighed  together 
fifty-four  pounds,  the  largest  weighing  thirteen  pounds;  and  one  is 
recorded  in  the  transactions  of  the  LinnsDan  Society  as  having  been 
taken  on  the  1st  of  January,  1822,  in  a  little  stream  ten  feet  wide, 
branching  from  the  Avon  at  the  back  of  Castle-street,  Salisbury,  which 
on  being  taken  out  of  the  water  was  found  to  weigh  twenty-five  pounds. 

These  instances,  which  are  beyond  dispute,  in  relation  to  a  species 
so  closely  related  to  our  fish  as  the  Salmo  Fario,  render  it  anything 
but  improbable  that  it  too,  in  favorable  situations,  should  grow  to  an 
equal  size ;  nor  is  there  any  reason  for  doubting  it,  siiice  it  is  known  to 
grow  to  the  weight  of  five  or  six  pounds,  within  a  few  ounces  of  which 
latter  weight  I  have  myself  seen  it ;  and  there  is  no  natural  or  phy- 
sical analogy  by  which  we  should  set  that  weight  as  the  limit  to  its 
increase. 

Should  these  remarks  call  the  attention  of  sportsmen  to  a  matter  of 
deep  interest,  and  elicit  from  them  occasional  records  of  examina- 
tions, which  none  can  institute  so  well  as  they,  their  end  will  be  fully 
answered,  and  these  pages  will  not  have  been  thrown  away. 

We  now  come  at  once  to  the  history  of  this  family,  and  first,  as  best, 
to  that  of  the  true  Salmon. 

This  being  the  noblest  and  most  game  in  its  character  of  all  fishes, 
as  I  have  observed  before,  once  abounding  in  all  waters  eastward  of 
the  Hudson,  and  still,  though  it  has  now  ceased  to  exist  in  numbers, 
west  of  the  Penobscot,  and  even  there  can  be  rarely  taken  with  the 
fly,  is  still  the  choicest  pursuit  of  the  American  angler,  although  he 
may  be  now  compelled  to  seek  it  in  the  difficult  and  uncleared  basins 
of  the  Nova  Scotian  rivers ;  in  the  Northern  tributaries  of  the  huge 
St.  Lawrence  ;  or  yet  farther  to  the  Westward,  in  the  streams  of  the 
Columbia  and  the  cold  torr'^nts  of  Oregon,  all  of  which  contain  the 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


SALMONIDA. 


53 


true  Salmon,  with  many  other  noble  and  distinct  varieties,  in  un- 
equalled numbers. 

Of  this  glorious  fish,  of  its  generation,  migrations,  growth,  and  habits, 
BO  much  has  been  discovered  within,  comparatively  speaking,  a  few 
years,  that  I  am  enabled  to  present  a  considerable  number  of  facts, 
which  will  be  doubtless  new  to  many  of  my  readers,  and  which  may 
be  received  as  ascertained  and  authenticated  beyond  the  possibility  of 
doubt.  ^  , 


\ 


^    I 


A 


/..  ^-'^ 


,.* 


m 


>'jI 


64 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


ABDOMiNAL. 
MALACOPTERYGIl. 


SALMONIDiE. 


Salmon  Pii«Ka«  up  tn  fix  moatht  old. 

THE  SALMON. 

THE  COMMON  SALMON,  THE  TRUE  SALMON 

Pink,  first  year,  Skolt,  second  year.  Peal  or  Grilse,  second  autumn.  — Salmo 
Salar,  Adotoruh,  British  Fishes,  vol.  ii.  p.  1.     DeKay,  vol.  iv. 

Although  this  noble  fish  has  never  been  made  the  subject,  so  far 
as  I  know,  of  any  of  the  strange  and  monstrous  fables  which  have 
obtained  concerning  many  others  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  waters — as 
for  instance  the  Pike,  of  which  old  Izaak  tells  us,  "  it  is  not  to  be 
doubted,  but  that  they  are  bred,  some  by  generation,  and  some  not, 
as  namely,  of  a  weed  called  pickerel-weed,  unless  learned  Gessner 
be  much  mistaken  ;  for  he  says,  this  weed  and  other  glutinous  matter, 
with  the  help  of  the  sun's  heat,  in  some  particular  months,  and  some 
ponds  adapted  for  it  by  nature,  do  become  Pikes" — still,  until  within 
the  last  few  years,  very  little  has  been  known  with  certainty  concerning 
him  in  h*"  infancy,  and  during  the  earlier  stages  of  his  growth. 

"  The  :  ?on,"  says  Izaak  Walton,  "  is  accounted  the  king  of 
fresh-wate  h,  and  is  ever  bred  in  rivers  relating  to  the  sea,  yet  so 
liijrh  or  f  f  from  it  as  to  admit  no  tincture  of  salt  or  brackishness.  He 
is  said  ♦  »  brood  or  cast  his  spawn,  in  most  rivers,  in  the  month  of 


<il 


C/0 


33 

m 


■y^      O 


f^     o 


N 


OO 


CO 


i:m 


I 


9ALM0NIDA. 


55 


Aogost ;  aome  say  that  then  they  dig  a  hole  or  grave  in  a  safe  place 
in  the  gravel,  and  there  place  their  eggs  or  spawn,  after  the  melter 
has  done  his  natural  office,  and  then  hide  it  moat  cunningly,  and  cover 
it  over  with  gravel  and  stones ;  and  there  leave  it  to  their  Creator's 
protection,  who,  by  a  gentle  heat  which  he  infuses  in  that  cold  element, 
makes  it  brood  and  beget  life  in  the  spawn,  and  to  become  Samlets 
early  in  the  next  spring  following," 

This  passage  I  have  quoted  because  in  several  respects  it  approaches 
very  nearly  the  truth,  as  it  has  been  proved  by  the  result  of  a  series 
of  well-conducted  experiments,  to  which  I  shall  again  allude. 

The  true  Salmon  is  caught  in  the  estuaries  of  our  large  northern 
and  north-eastern  rivers,  on  his  way  up  to  deposit  his  spawn  in  the  last 
months  of  spring  and  the  early  part  of  the  summer.  It  has  been 
observed  in  Europe,  that  those  rivers  which  flo>7  from  large  lakes  afford 
the  earliest  Salmon,  the  waters  having  been  purified  by  deposition  in 
the  lakes,  while  those  which  are  swollen  by  melting  snows  are  later  in 
season. 

It  is  also  observed  that  the  northern  rivers  are  the  earliest ;  and  it 
is  stated  by  Artedi,  that  in  Sweden,  Salmon  spawn  in  the  middle  of 
the  summer.  The  causes  influencing  these  facts  are  not  yet  decided 
nor  are  they  easy  of  solution,  says  Sir  William  Jardine,  especially 
where  the  time  varies  much  in  the  neighboring  rivers  of  the  same 
district. 

I  am  not  aware  that  any  difference  of  this  kind  has  been  remarked 
m  this  country ;  and  the  great  lack  of  residents  on  the  remote  Salmon 
rivers  who  will  trouble  themselves  to  observe  and  record  such  facts  as 
daily  occi^r  under  their  eyes,  renders  it  very  difficult  to  obtain  such 
information  as  might  assist  one  in  coming  to  any  conclusion. 

So  far  as  I  can  judge,  however,  this  difference  does  not  occur  on  this 
part  of  this  continent  at  least ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  the  Salmon  are 
earlier  in  their  appearance  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  which  flows  through 
the  largest  chain  of  fresh-wa'er  lakes  in  the  world,  than  the  St.  John's, 
or  the  Penobscot,  which  lie  farther  to  the  south,  and  have  no  lakes  of 
any  magnitude  on  their  waters.  It  must  be  mentioned,  however,  here, 
that  all  these  rivers  are  equally  swollen  by  melting  snows ;  and  that, 
being  frozen  solidly  until  late  in  the  spring,  the  period  of  their  open- 
ing naturally  connects  itself  with  the  appearance  of  the  fish. 


»R 


AMERICAN   FISHK.S. 


The  Connecticut  livor,  whicb  has  no  largo  lake  on  its  courso,  and  is 
the  southernmost  of  all  tho  rivors  which  have  furnishnd  Salmon  for 
many  years  past,  has  ooasod  to  bo  a  Salmon  river ;  or  somo  facta 
might  have  been  ascertained  through  observation  of  its  waters.  The 
Kennebec  also,  though  formerly  an  unrivalled  Salmon  river,  ia  becom- 
ing yearly  less  productive  of  this  fine  fish.  I  am  inclined  to  think, 
however,  that  it  is  the  earliest  Salmon  river  on  this  side  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent ;  with  tho  Arctic  rivers  I  have  of  courso  nothing  to  do  ; 
and  of  the  rivers  or  natural  productions  of  California,  Oregon,  and  tho 
Pacific  coast,  we  shall  kaow  nothing  on  which  reliance  can  be  placed, 
until  the  gold-hunting  hordes  are  replaced  by  a  stationary  and  organ- 
ised population. 

Tho  mouth  of  tho  Kennebec  is  about  one  degree  to  tho  southward 
and  westward  of  the  Penobscot,  and  flows  out  of  a  large  sheet  of  water, 
Moosehead  lake,  which  abounds  in  the  common  Lake  Trout,  growing 
to  a  very  large  size,  the  Salmo  Confinis  of  DeKay.  I  presume  that 
the  true  Salmon  no  longer  has  the  power  of  making  his  way  up  to  the 
head-waters  of  this  beautiful  and  limpid  stream,  in  consequence  of  tho 
numerous  and  lofty  dams  which  bar  its  course  ;  but  of  this  I  am  not 
certain. 

The  Salmon  enters  our  rivers,  then,  rarely  before  the  middle  of  May, 
and  is  taken  in  their  estuaries  so  late  as  the  end  of  July ;  and  during 
the  early  part  of  the  season,  nearly  indeed  until  the  latter  date,  does 
not  ascend  far  above  tide-water,  generally  going  up  with  the  flood,  and 
returning  with  the  ebb.  At  this  time  they  are  taken  by  thousands  in 
stake-nets,  on  the  Penobscot  and  other  eastern  rivers,  and  sent  thence, 
packed  in  ice,  to  the  markets  o"  all  the  larger  cities  of  the  United  States. 

At  the  time  of  their  first  entering  the  fresh-water,  when  they  are  in 
the  highest  possible  condition,  in  tho  greatest  perfection  of  flesh  and 
flavor,  and  at  tho  height  of  external  beauty,  they  are  of  a  rich  trans- 
parent blueish-black,  varied  with  greenish  reflections  along  the  back, 
these  colors  gradually  dying  away  as  they  approach  and  pass  the  lateral 
line,  below  which  tlie  belly  is  of  the  most  beautiful  glistening  silvery 
whiteness.  The  dorsal,  caudal,  and  pectoral  fins,  are  dusky  black, 
the  small  fatty  second  dorsal  fin  bluish-black,  the  central  fins  white 
on  the  outer  side,  but  somewhat  darker  within,  and  the  anal  fin  silvery 
white,  like  the  belly. 


8ALM0N1DA. 


57 


Thoro  aro  generally  a  fow  dark  apota  disperaed  along  the  body  about 
tho  lateral  lino ;  and  in  the  fcmalo  fish  theae  are  more  numerous  and 
oonnpicuoua  than  in  tho  males. 

Tho  accompanying  out,  facing  page  54,  is  of  a  female,  fresh  run 
from  tho  Boa,  and  is  copied,  by  permission,  from  tho  figure  by  Son- 
rel,  in  Mr.  Agaasiz's  great  work  alluded  to  above.  The  individual 
from  which  tho  figure  ia  taken,  was  caught  in  tho  neighborhood  of 
Havre-do-Grace,  in  France ;  but  the  Salmon  of  the  two  continents 
are  identical. 

I  will  hero  obaerve,  en  passant,  that  whenever  it  has  been  in  my 
power  to  obtain  specimens,  cither  living  or  in  spirits,  I  have  myself 
drawn  tho  figures  from  nature  on  the  wood ;  but  where,  from  the 
season  of  the  year,  or  other  causes,  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  that 
advantage,  J  have  copied  my  illustrations  from  tho  best  authorities, 
where  I  could  find  plates  or  drawings  which  I  deemed  satisfactory. 
In  the  absence  of  either,  I  have  left  the  fish  unrepresented,  in  prefer- 
ence to  giving  incorrect  caricatures  of  the  animal — such  as  disgrace 
too  many  works  of  natural  history,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  among 
others,  the  great  Natural  History  lately  published  by  the  State  of  New 
york,  the  illustrations  of  which  are  below  contempt  as  works  of  art, 
and,  in  a  scientific  view,  utterly  useless,  and  uncharacteristic. 

After  they  have  gained  the  upper  and  shallow  parts  of  the  rivers, 
preparatory  to  the  deposition  of  their  spawn,  the  colors  of  the  Salmon 
are  materially  altered ;  the  male  becomes  marked  on  the  cheek  with 
orange-colored  st'  ipes,  the  lower  jaw  acquires  a  peculiar  projection, 
and  turns  upward  at  the  point  in  a  hard,  hooked,  cartilaginous  excres- 
cence, which,  when  the  mouth  is  closed,  occupies  a  hollow  between  the 
intermaxillary  bones. 

The  body  of  the  fish  becomes  greenish  above,  with  the  sides  of  an 
orange  hue,  fading  into  yellowish-green  on  the  belly,  and  the  spots 
assume  a  sanguino  hue,  the  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  being  more  or  less 
spotted.  The  females  at  this  season  are  even  darker  than  on  their 
arrival  in  fresh  water. 

Tho  males  are  at  this  period  termed  Red-fish  in  Great  Britain,  and 
the  females  Black-fish  ;  and  they  are  so  designated  in  the  very  salutary 
enactments  which,  in  that  country,  by  protecting  the  fish  during  their 


m 


on  AMERICAN   FISHKH. 

leason  of  brooding,  have  preserved  thorn  from  extirpation  ;  enaotmenta 
which,  aa  cannot  bo  too  much  regretted  or  too  strongly  reprobated, 
the  reculcitrative  and  over-independent  spirit  of  our  people  will  not 
tolerate,  much  less  obey. 

The  time  will  come,  when  the  population  at  large  will  deplore  this 
foolish  and  discreditable  sp<rit;  when,  like  him  who  slew  the  goose 
which  laid  the  golden  eggs,  they  find  that  by  their  own  ultra-demo- 
cratic spirit,  they  are  deprived  entirely  and  forever  of  a  great  source 
of  national  pleasure,  as  well  as  national  profit  and  wealth — for  such 
are  the  fisheries  of  a  country. 

During  the  winter  the  fish  go  through  the  process  of  spawning, 
which  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Ellis,  in  his  "  Natural  History  of 
the  Salmon,"  as  quoted  by  Yarrel  in  his  "  British  Fishes:  " 

"  A  pair  of  fish  are  seen  to  make  a  furrow,  by  working  up  the  gravel 
with  their  noses,  rather  against  the  stream,  as  a  Salmon  cannot  work 
with  nis  head  down  stream,  for  the  water  then  going  into  his  gills  the 
wrong  way,  drowns  him.  When  the  furrow  is  made,  the  male  and 
female  retire  to  a  little  distance,  one  to  the  one  side,  and  the  other  to 
the  other  side  of  the  furrow;  they  then  throw  themselves  on  their 
sides,  again  come  together,  and  rubbing  against  each  other,  both  shed 
their  spawn  into  the  furrow  at  the  same  time.  This  process  is  not 
completed  at  once  ;  it  requires  from  eight  to  twelve  days  tor  them  to 
lay  all  their  spawn,  and  when  they  have  done  they  betake  them  to  the 
pools,  pnd  descend  to  the  sea,  to  refresh  tiiemselves." 

At  this  time  they  are  lean,  out  of  condition,  and  unfit  for  food. 
Meanwhile,  the  female  has  acquired  a  grayish  color  on  the  back,  with 
bright  yellow  sides.  She  is  covered  above  the  lateral  line,  including 
the  dorsal  and  caudal  fins,  with  alternate  dusky  and  ruddy  spots.  Her 
pectoral,  ventral,  and  anal  fins  are  of  a  bluish  gray  color.  She  is  now 
a  long,  lank,  big-headed,  flat-sided  fish,  as  unlike  as  possible  to  the 
beautifully-formed  glistening  creature  which  ran  up  the  stream  in  the 
preceding  autumn. 

She  is  now  termed  properly  a  baggit,  and  the  male  a  kipper ;  and 
the  two,  generally,  kelts. 

Before  entering  the  salt-water,  they  linger  awhile  in  the  brackish 
water  of  the  tide-ways,  as  they  did  on  ascending  the  rivers,  obtaining, 


# 


RALMONlDiie. 


09 


It  is  said,  thereby  a  release  from  oertatD  parasitical  animals,  gene- 
rated, these  by  the  frush,  those  by  the  salt  water,  at  each  change  of 
watoiH. 

In  Great  Brituiu,  the  period  of  the  Salmon's  spawning  varies  from 
November  to  the  end  of  January.     They  have  been  carefully  watched 
during  the  whole  process,  as  have  the  eggs  after  their  deposition,  so 
that  the  length  of  time  which  it  takes  them  to  attain  to  maturity  is 
accurately  known.     This  time  has  been  ascertained  by  Mr.  Shaw,  in 
a  series  of  experiments,  of  which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  more 
fully  hereafter,  to  be  about 

114  days,  when  the  temperature  of  the  wator  is       -        -      36® 
101  days,     ------  43^' 

90  days,  -  -  -  -  -  -      45® 

These  experiments  were  perfoiiucd  iu  the  open  air,  and  in  natural 
streams,  liable  to  the  ordiuory  inlaonces  o<  the  atmosphere  and 
weather. 

Dr.  Knox,  however,  as  is  recorded  in  the  T/anaactiona  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  Edinburgh,  observed  a  ^j.i;  of  Salmon  ViUl-Ax  completed 
their  spawning,  and  covered  up  th  ar  ova  with  gravel,  in  the  usual 
wty,  on  the  2d  of  November.  This  was  in  one  of  the  northern  i.  \(,ii- 
taries  of  the  Tweed. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  or  at  the  end  of  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
days,  the  ova  were  dug  up,  and  foun'l  unchanged.  On  being  removed, 
however,  at  this  stage,  and  placed  in  bottles  of  water  in  warm  rooms, 
the  eggs  were  matured  almost  immediately,  and  the  young  fry  hatched. 
In  this  state  they  can  be  preserved  in  the  bottles,  with  the  water  un- 
changed, for  about  ten  days,  as  during  that  time  they  are  supported 
on  the  yolk  of  the  egg  which  adheres  to  the  under  part  of  their  bodies, 
as  exhibited  in  figure  ^  or  the  cut  at  the  head  of  this  article. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  according  to  Dr.  Knox,  the  ova  began  to 
change,  and  it  was  not  until  the  1st  of  April  that  the  fry  were  found 
to  have  quitted  t'nv  beds. 

Mr.  Shaty';  experiments  were,  however,  so  conducted  as  to  furnish 
data  on  which  more  reliance  may  bo  placed  ;  and  as  these  are  of  the 
gr.  atest  interest,  and  as  from  experiments  similarly  conducted,  farther 
results  of  a  different  kind  might  be  attained,  of  surpassing  importance, 
I  shall  state  them  somewhat  at  length. 


60 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


I 


A  full  account  will  be  found,  by  those  who  desire  to  investigate  the 
subject  more  thoroughly,  in  the  Edinburgh  New  Philosophical  Journal 
for  July,  1836,  and  January,  1838. 

Mr.  Shaw,  it  seems,  caused  three  ponds  to  be  made,  of  diflFerent  size, 
at  about  fifty  yards  distance  from  a  Salmon  river,  the  Erith,  the  ponds 
being  supplied  by  a  stream  of  spring-water,  well  furnished  with  the 
larvae  of  insects.  The  average  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  rivulet 
«raa  rather  higher  and  less  variable  than  of  that  in  the  river  ;  other- 
wise the  circumstances  of  the  ova  contained  in  the  ponds,  and  of  the 
young  fry  produced  therefrom,  were  precisely  similar  to  those  of  the 
spawn  and  fry  in  the  river. 

These  ponds  were  all  two  feet  deep,  with  well-gravelled  bottoms, 
the  highest  pond  eighteen  feet  by  twenty-two,  the  second  eighteen  by 
twenty-five,  the  third  thirty  by  fifty. 

Observing  two  Salmon,  male  and  female,  in  the  river  preparing  to 
deposit  their  spawn,  Mr.  Shaw  prepared  in  the  shingle,  by  the  stream's 
edge,  a  small  trench,  through  which  he  directed  a  stream  of  water 
from  the  river,  and  at  the  lower  extremity  of  the  trench,  placed  a  large 
earthenware  basin  to  receive  the  ova.  This  done,  by  means  of  a  hoop- 
net  he  secured  the  two  fish  which  he  had  observed ;  and  placing  the 
female,  while  alive,  in  the  trench,  forced  her,  by  gentle  pressure  of 
her  body,  to  deposit  her  ova  in  the  trench.  The  male  fish  was  then 
placed  in  the  same  position,  and  a  quantity  of  the  milt  being  pressed 
from  his  body,  passed  down  the  stream,  and  thoroughly  impregnated 
the  ova,  which  wore  then  transferred  to  the  basin,  and  thence  to  the 
small  stream  which  fed  the  upper  pond,  where  they  were  covered  up 
in  the  gravel  as  usual.  The  temperature  of  the  stream  was  40°,  that 
of  the  river  36°.  The  skins  of  the  Salmon  were  preserved,  in  order 
to  prevent  the  possibility  of  doubt  or  cavilling  concerning  the  species 
The  male  fish,  when  taken,  weighed  sixteen,  the  female  eight  pounds 

The  result  was,  that  the  young  fish  were  hatched,  as  I  have  stated 
in  the  scale  above  given.  When  first  emerging  from  the  membrane  in 
which  it  had  boon  enclosed,  with  the  yolk  adh(!ring  to  the  abdomen, 
the  young  fry  is  as  it  is  8hown  in  No.  1,  of  the  cut  referred  to  above. 
The  yolk  is  absorbed  in  twenty -seven  days,  after  which  the  young 
fish  require  nourishment.  At  the  end  of  two  montlis,  the  young  fish 
has  attained  the  length  of  an  inch  and  a  quarter,  as  represented  at 


SALMON!  D.E. 


61 


Ko.  2  ;  and  at  the  age  of  six  months,  he  has  grown  to  the  size  of  three 
inches  and  a  quarter,  and,  except  in  dimensions,  is  exactly  rendered 
in  No.  3  of  the  above  cut. 

From  these  facts  we  arrive  at  two  consequences.  First,  that  the 
growth  of  the  young  Salmon  has  been  greatly  overrated ;  and,  secondly, 
that  at  a  certain  period  of  its  life  the  Salmon  is  a  Parr.  The  extent 
to  which  the  growth  of  the  Salmon  has  been  overrated,  will  be  per- 
ceived at  once,  when  it  is  shown  that  Dr.  Knox,  in  the  paper  from 
which  I  have  already  quoted,  states  that  the  fry  which  emerged  from 
their  capsules  on  the  1st  of  April,  were  taken,  on  the  22d  of  the  same 
month,  in  the  same  year,  as  Smolts,  with  the  fly,  of  the  size  of  the 
little  finger. 

It  was  also  generally  believed  that  the  fry  of  the  year  descended  to 
the  sea  that  very  spring,  and  returned,  in  the  autumn,  grilse,  varying 
from  two  to  seven  pounds  weight. 

It  is  distinctly  shown,  however,  by  Mr.  Shaw,  that  the  young  Sal- 
mon, which  is  called  a  Pink  while  in  the  state  represented  above, 
having  perpendicular  lateral  bars  or  markings  of  a  dusky  gray  color, 
which  were  once  supposed  to  be  peculiar  to  the  Parr,  does  not  become 
a  Smolt,  or  go  down  to  the  sea  until  the  second  spring,  tarrying  a 
whole  year  in  the  fresh  water. 


Salmon  Smolt,  one  yeiir  old. 

The  fish  hero  represented  measured  seven  inches  and  a  half  in 
length,  and  three  inches  and  one-eighth  in  circumference. 

Its  gill-covers  were  silvery,  marked  with  a  dark  spot ;  belly  and 
sides,  up  to  the  lateral  line  of  the  same,  silvery  color  ;  back  and  sides. 


62 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


down  to  the  lateral  line,  dusky,  inclining  to  green  ;  sides  above  the 
lateral  line  raavk.Hl  with  dusky  spots ;  along  the  lateral  line,  and  both 
a  little  above  and  a  little  below  it,  several  dull  obscure  red  spots.  The 
dorsal  fin  has  twelve  rays,  marked  with  several  dusky  spots  ;  the  pec- 
toral fin  has  twelve  rays  of  a  dusky  olive  color ;  the  vontral  fin  eight 
rays  of  a  silvery  white ;  and  the  anal  fin  ten  rays  of  the  same  color. 
When  the  scales  were  carefully  taken  off  with  a  knife,  the  obscure 
red  spots  became  of  a  fine  vcrmillion,  aiul  were  nineteen  in  number; 
and  ten  obscure  oval  bars  of  a  dusky  bluish  color  appeared,  which 
crossed  the  lateral  Hue.  In  a  young  fry  which  has  not  acquired  the 
scales,  these  bars  are  very  distinct. 

The  above  cut  and  description  are  both  borrowed  from  Yarrel's 
*'  British  Fishes,"  the  latter  as  quoted  from  Dr.  Heysham's  catalogue. 

To  render  these  facts  yet  more  certain,  in  the  autumn  of  1835, 
Thomas  Upton,  Esq.,  of  Ingraere  Hall,  near  Kendal,  began  to  en- 
large a  natural  lake  on  his  property,  and  in  the  spring  of  1836,  some 
pinks  from  the  Lune,  a  Salmon  river  in  that  vicinity,  were  put  into  it. 

This  lake,  which  is  called  Lilymere,  has  no  communication  with  any 
other  water,  by  which  the  fish  once  introduced  can  get  out,  or  any  fry, 
from  other  waters,  get  in.  The  pinks,  when  put  in,  were  certainly  not 
above  two  or  three  ounces  each  in  weight.  Sixteen  months  afterward, 
a  friend  of  Mr.  Upton's  being  on  a  visit  to  him,  caught  with  a  red 
palmer  fly  two  Salmon  Peal,  in  excellent  condition,  silvery  bright  in 
color,  measuring  fourteen  inches  in  length,  and  weighing  fourteen 
ounces ;  one  was  cooked  and  eaten,  the  flesh  pink  in  color,  but  not  so 
red  as  those  of  the  river,  well-flavored,  and  like  that  of  a  Peal. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1838,  eleven  months  after,  another  small 
Salmon  was  caught,  equal  to  the  first  in  condition  and  color,  about 
two  inches  longer,  and  three  ounces  heavier.  No  doubt  was  enter- 
tained that  these  were  two  of  the  pinks  transferred  to  the  lake  in  the 
spring  of  1836,  the  first  of  which  had  been  retained  sixteen  months, 
and  the  latter  twenty-seven  months,  in  fresh-water. 

Farther  than  this,  it  was  found  that,  in  the  river  Hodder,  the  pinks 
in  April  are  rather  more  than  three  inches  long,  and  that  at  the  same 
time  smolts  of  six  and  a  half  are  also  taken,  with  the  colors  altered 
as  above,  and  ready  to  migrate.  In  .luly,  the  pink  measures  five  inches, 
and  the  smolts  have  then  left  the  river. 


8ALM0NIDX. 


# 


Dr.  Knox  seems  to  have  erred  merely  in  supposing  that  the  pinks, 
the  size  of  the  little  finger,  were  from  the  ova  hatched  in  April,  when 
they  were  probably  from  an  earlier  hatching  of  fish,  which  spawned  at 
a  more  remote  date. 

It  sooms,  however,  to  be  clearly  and  certainly  established  by  these 
experiments,  that  the  smolt,  or  laspring,  as  they  are  sometimes  called, 
which  descend  the  rivers  every  spring  toward  the  middle  of  May,  are 
a  whole  year  older  than  the  pinks,  which  are  taken  in  the  same  waters, 
at  the  same  time,  and  by  the  same  fly. 

With  regard  to  the  later  growth  of  the  Salmon,  I  am  not  of  opinion 
that  the  lake  experiments  prove  much,  if  anything,  either  pro  or  con  ; 
since  it  is  a  known  and  established  fact,  that  salt-water  h:is  a  recupe- 
rative influence  upon  the  mature  fish  which  run  down  the  rivers  ex- 
hausted by  spawning,  and  also  a  certain  tendoncy  to  increase  the 
growth  of  the  young  fish  which  descend  the  streams,  smolts,  as  it  now 
appears,  in  thoir  second  year,  of  six  or  seven  inches  length,  and  about 
as  many  ounces  weight,  and  return  peal  or  grilse,  varying  from  two  to 
eight  pounds. 

It  must  be  observed  here,  that  grilse  is  the  correct  name  of  the  fish 
on  its  return  from  the  sea  in  its  second  season,  and  that  peal  is  merely  a 
fishmonger's  term  for  a  small  grilse  not  exceeding  two  pounds'  weight. 

That  the  identical  smolt  of  six  or  seven  oxmces  do  return,  after 
two  or  three  months'  absence  in  the  sea,  as  grilse  of  as  many  pounds' 
weight,  is  proved  beyond  all  dispute  ;  smolts  innumerable  having  been 
taken,  marked  with  numbered  tickets  of  zinc  attached  to  the  rays  of 
th'.nr  dorsal  fins,  set  at  liberty,  and  recaptured  grilse,  varying  from 
two  to  eight  pounds,  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year.  The  same 
pxporimpnt,  with  the  labels  unremoved,  shows  that  the  same  grilse, 
descending  the  stream  of  unincreased  magnitude  in  the  spring  of  his 
thi'.'d  year,  returns  in  that  third  autumn  a  fish  of  sixteen,  and  upward 
to  twenty-five,  pounds'  weight. 

I  hold,  therefore,  that  the  argument  is  conclusive,  so  long  as  it  is 
founded  on  a  comparison  between  fish  which,  whether  they  be  con- 
fined or  at  large,  never  visits  the  sea.  Beyond  that  the  analogy 
ceases.  It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  Salmon  confined  to  fresh- 
water will  ever  attain  the  size  of  those  which  run  to  and  fro,  from  the 
fresh  to  the  .«<alt ;  I  greatly  doubt  it ;  and,  with  Mr.  Yarrel,  I  think  it 


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AMERICAN  FISHES. 


more  than  a  dubious  point,  whether  the  fish,  so  stopped  from  migra- 
tion to  the  soa,  will  ever  acquire  power  to  reproduce  their  own  species. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the  Salmon  propagates  its  kind  before  it  is 
adult — the  grilse,  on  its  return  from  the  soa  in  its  second  year,  having 
the  roo  and  milt  far  advanced,  and  spawning  that  same  autumn.  The 
ova  in  the  grilss  differ  not  in  size,  but  in  number  only,  from  those  of 
the  adult  Salmon  of  a  year's  later  growth,  and  there  is  no  known 
difference  between  the  fry  of  the  young  and  full-grown  fish. 

It  will  prove  to  be  the  fact,  I  have  no  doubt,  that  in  this  country  these 
fish  spawn  earlier  in  the  season  than  in  Great  Britain ;  indeed,  they 
must  do  30,  for  in  the  month  of  Januaiy  the  head-waters  of  the  rivers 
which  they  frequent  are  masses  of  solid  ice ;  and  I  presume  it  will  bo 
found  that  the  ova  arc  deposited  and  covered  with  gravel  in  the  months 
of  September  and  October,  and  in  all  probability  that  the  parent  fish 
return  to  the  salt-Avater  the  same  autumn,  or  early  in  the  winter, 
before  the  closing  of  the  rivers.     This  is,  however,  little  important. 

I  now  come  to  the  second  point,  proved  beyond  all  doubt  by  these 
experiments ;  videlicet^  that  the  Salmon,  in  the  first  stage  of  his  exist- 
ence, is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  what  is  commonly  called  a  Parr. 

Most,  if  not  all,  of  my  readers,  are  probably  aware  that,  in  some 
particular  streams  of  Great  Britain,  there  has  been  found  invariably 
a  small  fish  of  the  Salmon  fainily,  never  attaining  to  any  considerable 
siz3  or  weight,  and  distinguishable  from  Trout  only  by  the  presence 
of  the  bluish  gray,  or  olive,  transverse  bands  alluded  to  above,  and 
fi  ;urcd  in  the  cut  of  Pinks,  at  the  head  of  this  article  ;  as  also  again 
in  <he  plate  at  the  head  of  that  on  the  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fnntlnalis, 
next  following. 

Concerning  this  little  fish,  there  has  been  a  continual  doubt,  and  a 
dispute  of  many  years'  standing,  some  persons  maintaining  that  it  was 
a  distinct,  and  reproductive  species  of  the  Salmon'uUty  which  they 
termed  variously  Parr,  Samlet,  Brandling,  and  so  forth.  Others,  from 
its  never  being  taken  of  any  size,  have  believed  it  to  be  an  unproduc- 
tive cross,  or  mule,  between  the  Salmon  and  the  common  Trout,  the 
sea  Trout  and  common  Trout,  &c.,  &c. ;  and  others  yet  again,  that 
it  was  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  young  Salmon. 

In  proof  of  this,  it  was  adduced  that  Parr  had  been  marked  and 
retaken  as  Grilse 


8ALM0NIDX. 


e5 


But  in  reply,  it  was  statod  that  Parr  had  also  been  marked  and 
retaken  as  Bull  Trout,  Salmo  Erioxy  and  Salmon  Trout,  Salmo 
Trutta ;  whonco  it  was  argued  that  the  fish  marked  had  b3en  so 
marked  carelessly  and  injudiciously,  and  were  not  Parr  at  all,  but 
Sraolts,  or  fry  of  some  of  the  other  Salmonldce.  Mr.  Yarrel 
admits  that  ho  has  seen  these  vortical  marks  in  tlie  youn-r  fry  of  the 
Salmon,  Bull  Trout,  Parr,  common  Trout,  and  Welch  Charr  ;  but 
still  maintains  the  existence  of  the  Parr  as  distinct,  principally  on  the 
ground  that  the  Parrs  are  taken  abundantly  oven  in  autumn,  not 
exceeding  five  inches  in  length,  long  after  the  fry  of  the  larger  migra- 
tory species  have  gone  down  to  the  sea. 

This  is  in  the  body  of  the  work,  written  previous  to  the  experiments 
made  by  Mr.  Shaw ;  and  this  Mr.  Yarrel  there  considers  to  be  a 
sufficiently  obvious  proof  that  the  Parr  is  not  the  young  of  the  Salmon, 
or  indeed  of  any  other  of  the  larger  Salmonidcc. 

The  reason  is  of  course  annihilated  by  the  proven  fact,  that  the 
Pinks,  which  remain  in  fresh- water  all  the  first  year,  are  young  Sal- 
mon, Parr-marked ;  whereas  the  young  Salmon-fry,  Smolts,  formerly 
supposed  to  be  the  young  fish  of  that  year,  all  of  which  have  gone 
down  the  river  to  the  sea,  are  in  truth  the  fish  of  the  preceding  year. 

Similarly  is  the  question  settled  with  regard  to  the  existence  of 
Parrs  in  streams  of  the  Western  isles  which  are  never  visited  by 
Salmon,  these  being,  in  all  probability,  the  Brook  Trout  in  the  Parr 
stage  of  its  existence. 

And  so  again  the  fact  that  there  are  laJi-es  in  the  same  islands  fre- 
quented by  the  Salmon  and  sea  Trout,  in  which  Parrs  arc  never  found 
— because  the  young  fry,  while  in  the  Parr,  or  transversely  banded, 
form,  keep  in  the  swift  cold  streams,  and  do  not  d  'sccnd  to  the  lakes. 

It  now  appears  to  be  certain,  or  ns  nearly  certain  as  anything  can 
bo,  which  is  not  positively  provtid,  that  every  species  of  the  Salmcnidcs 
is  at  one  period  a  banded  fish,  or  Parr. 

This  is  known  as  an  authenticated  fact  of  the  Salmon,  Salmon 
Trout,  Bull  Trout,  and  common  English  Trout,  as  well  as  of  the 
Welch  Charr,  as  admitted  by  Yarrel. 

Mr.  Agassiz  has  figured  the  Hucho,  Salmo  Ilnc/io,  and  the  conti- 
nental Charr,  which  ho  esteems  id.mtical  with  the  northern  Charr  of 
England,  Salmo  U?nhla,  in  the  same  stage — the  other  chavacteaistics 


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66 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


of  the  diflFerent  fish  being  unmistakable  and  evident — with  the  trans- 
verse bars.  The  same  distinguished  naturalist  has  taken  the  Great 
Lake  Trout,  or  Mackinaw  Salmon,  Salmo  Amethystus,  and  the  Brook 
Trout,  Salmo  Fontinalis,  which  abounds  in  all  small  streams,  wherein 
it  is  bred,  in  this  same  form. 

There  only  remain  to  be  accounted  for  some  two  or  three  species, 
the  Great  Gray  Trout,  of  Britain,  the  Sea  Trout,  Salmo  Trutta,  and 
the  Silver  Trout,  Salmo  Lacustris,  of  Continental  Europe,  and  on  this 
continent,  the  Siskawitz,  Salmo  Sislcawitz,  and  the  Lake  Trout,  Salmo 
Confinis,  of  Dckay. 

No  especial  search  has  been  instituted  for  the  fry  of  any  of  thes  • 
fish  last  named  ;  so  that  the  non-discovery  goes  no  way  to  prove  thoii- 
non-existence  ;  on  the  contrary,  all  analogy  goes  to  show  that  they 
will  be  discovered  in  time. 

As  it  now  stands,  of  fourteen,  the  most  strongly-marked,  Sabnonida, 
nine  have  been  clearly  traced  to  this  form  ;  and  the  five  missing  species 
are  either  analogous,  as  the  three  European  species,  or  closely  con- 
generous, as  the  two  American  LakeTrout,  to  one  species  Amethystus^ 
which  is  shown  to  be  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

Every  migratory  species  of  Salmo  is  found  in  this  stage  ;  and  one 
of  the  five  or  six,  non-migratory.  All  analogy,  therefore,  goes  to  show 
that  these  species  will  be  found,  on  research,  not  to  deviate  from  the 
rule  of  their  order. 

Mr.  Shaw  goes  farther,  and  argues  that  no  such  perfect  fish  as  the 
Parr  exists  ;  and  that  all  the  fish  so  named  by  diflferent  observers  are 
in  truth  the  young  of  different  species  of  the  Salmon  family. 

Against  this  fact,  Mr.  Yarrcl  reclaims;  and  justly  remarks  that 
"  this  is  not  conclusive  evidence  of  the  non-existence  of  a  distinct  small 
fish,  to  which  the  name  of  Parr  ought  to  be  exclusively  applied  ;  it 
rather  shows  the  want  of  power  among  general  observers  to  distinguish 
between  the  young  of  closely-allied  species,  three  or  four  of  which  are 
indiscriminately  called  Parrs." 

This  is  certainly  true  logic. 

The  fact  that  all  the  young  of  all  the  Salmonida  are  what  have 
been  called  Parrs,  is  no  proof  that  all  Parrs  are  young  and  immature 
fish. 

This  matter,  though,  as  it  now  stands,  cleared  of  all  the  absurd 


8ALM0NI0£. 


67 


theories  concerning  cross-breeding  between  Salmon,  Sea  Trout,  Gray- 
ling, and  Common  Trout,  being  set  aside,  is  of  easy  proof. 

It  only  rests  to  show  the  male  and  female  Parrs  full  of  ova,  ready 
for  spawning,  and  the  question  is  settled. 

In  connection  with  this,  it  is  fair  to  state,  that  Dr.  Heysham,  of 
Carlisle,  in  England,  who  is  said  to  have  devoted  particular  attention 
to  this  fish,  which  is  there  called  Brandling  or  Samlet,  observes  that 
"  The  old  Samlets  begin  to  deposit  their  spawn  in  December,  and 
continue  spawning  the  whole  of  that  month,  and  perhaps  some  pait 
of  January.  As  this  season  of  the  year  is  not  favorable  for  angling, 
few  or  no  observations  are  made  during  these  months.  As  soon  as 
they  have  spawned  they  retire,  like  the  Salmon,  to  the  sea,  where  they 
remain  till  the  autumn,  when  they  again  return  to  the  rivers." 

After  a  number  of  farther  observations  concerning  the  young  fry  of 
the  supposed  Parr,  their  sizes,  seasons,  &c.,  he  concludes  by  these 
words — "  In  short,  we  see  Samlets  of  various  sizes — we  see  them  with 
milt  and  roe,  in  all  the  various  stages,  and  we  see  them  perfectly 
empty  ;  all  which  circumstances  clearly  prove  that  they  are  a  distinct 
species." 

Clearly,  indeed ;  if  it  appears  that  these  circumstances  can  be 
authenticated ;  but  this  I,  for  the  present,  doubt — first,  because  if 
there  had  been  visible  facta,  the  theory  never  could  have  been  started 
of  their  being  unproductive  mules.  Second,  because  Sir  William 
Jardine,  after  examination  of  the  Parr  of  the  Tweed,  speaks  of  it  as 
still  uncertain  whether  it  may  not  be  the  young  of  the  common  Trout, 
Salno  Fario  ;  and  for  this  reason,  that  though  he  has  found  males 
full  of  milt,  he  never  has  seen  females  with  the  roe  in  an  advanced 
state ;  and,  farthermore,  distinctly  avers,  that  "  they  have  not  been 
discovered  spawning  in  any  of  the  shallow  streams  or  lesser  rivulets, 
like  the  Trout." 

Sir  William,  however,  still  leans  to  the  opinion  that  there  is  a 
distinct  species,  in  which  the  transverse  markings  are  permanent, 
which  reproduces  its  own  kind,  and  never  grows  to  a  greater  size 
than  eight  or  nine  inches  ;  and  this  ho  would  retain  under  the  title 
given  to  it  by  Ray,  of  Salmo  Salmulus. 

Mr.  Yarrel  is  of  the  same  opinion  ;  and  has  certainly  shown 
decidedly  that  it  is  not  a  hybrid,  or  a  species  of  which  there  are 


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AMERICAN  FISHES. 


no  females,  as  had  been  surmised ;  since  of  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  Parrs,  or  Samlets,  examined  by  Dr.  Hcysham,  one  hundred  and 
ninoty-nino  were  males,  and  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  females. 

The  great  point,  however,  is  tins,  which  is  now,  I  think,  perfectly 
clear,  and  which  at  once  dispels  all  the  mystery  of  the  question — 
namely — that  the  young  of  all  the  Salmonida — not  several  only,  as 
Sir  William  Jardine  and  Mr.  Yarrel  state,  but  all — have,  in  their 
extreme  youth,  transverse  bluish,  or  olive-colored  markings  ;  that  they 
have  all  been  confounded  with  one  anotlier,  and — if  there  be  such  a 
fish — with  the  Parr  proper ;  and  that  from  this  confusion,  and  the 
want  of  discrimination  on  the  part  of  the  obs3rvers,  have  arisen  all 
the  contradictory  accounts  of  Salmon,  Salmon  Trout,  Bull  Trout, 
and  Common  Trout,  raised  from  the  veritable  Parr. 

Whether  there  do  or  do  not  exist  a  very  small,  distinct  species 
of  Salmo,  in  Great  Britain,  which  retains  these  marks  to  maturity, 
is  a  matter  of  little  comparative  moment,  though  interesting  to  the 
naturalist.  The  first  question  was  of  the  greatest  importance,  as 
involving  the  whole  subject  of  reproduction  of  species ;  inasmuch 
as  the  facts,  as  asserted  and  formerly  believed,  were  directly 
analogous  to  this,  that  from  the  eggs  of  a  barn-door  fowl,  of  one 
laying,  were  hatched  bantams,  quail,  guinea-hens,  pea-fowl,  and  any 
other  gallinaceous  fowl  you  please. 

On  this  continent,  assuredly,  there  is  no  distinct  Parr,  although 
undoubtedly  it  will  appear  hereafter,  that  like  the  young  of  cv  one 
of  the  family,  like  the  true  Salmon,  the  greater  Lake  Trout,  and  the 
Brook  Trout,  tho  other  species  without  exception,  have  the  Parr 
markings. 

On  this  topic  I  have  dwelt  somewhat  at  length,  yet  I  trust  not  so 
long  as  to  weary  my  readers,  the  great  interest  of  the  point  at  issue, 
and  the  almost  interminable  discussion  which  has  been  maintained  on 
the  subject,  rendering  me  peculiarly  anxious  to  adduce  something  now 
and  to  the  point ;  which,  thanks  to  the  kind  assL-stance  of  my  friend, 
Mr.  Agassiz,  I  trust  I  have  succeeded  in  doing. 

I  may  here  venture  to  add  that  tho  distinguished  gentleman  I  have 
just  named,  is  inclined  to  incredulity  as  regards  the  existence  of  a 
distinct  ."?pecies  of  Parr. 

I  shall  now  recur  to  the  experiments  on  the  ova  of  Salmon ;   fii'St, 


^. 


« 


SALMONIOA. 


69 


for  tho  purpose  of  shoeing  how  they  may  bo  brouprht  into  direct 
practical  utility,  and  rendtM-od  subservient  to  tho  pleasure  of  tho 
angler,  as  a  method  of  stocking  inland  waters  ;  and,  secondly,  of 
pointing  out  how  easily  oxperiinents  might  be  made  in  this  modej 
aa  to  the  hybridization  of  fishes,  and  the  rearing  new  species  of  mules, 
or  ascertaining  that  they  cannot  be  reared,  by  the  commixture  of  the 
milt  and  roe  of  various  distinct  species  of  tho  Fine  family  in  small 
tanks,  fed  by  running  brooklets. 

It  has  been  shown  above,  that  tho  impregnated  spawn  of  any  two 
live  breeding  fishes  of  the  same  family,  may  be  artificially  hatched 
and  prosjrved  in  waters  other  than  thosj  in  which  tho  parent  species 
arc  wont  to  live ;  as  c/en  the  Salmon  in  fresh- water. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  show  that  the  same  result  may  bo  obtained 
by  the  commixture  of  the  melt  and  roo  in  aiirated  water,  of  dead  fishes 
recently  taken. 

It  is  absolutely  neces.sary  that  tho  water  should  bo  afiratcd,  or  highly 
suppli  'd  with  oxygen.  For  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  finding  water  in  this 
condition,  that  the  Salmon,  tho  Shad,  the  Bass,  tho  Smelt,  and  all 
tliose  fish  which  resort  to  fresh-waters,  for  the  purpose  of  spawning, 
run  to  the  shallow,  pure,  and  swiftly-flowing  brooks,  to  which  their 
rapidity  and  frequent  falls  impart  purity  and  vitality,  by  mingling  then\ 
with  the  atmosphere.  In  tho  same  manner,  tho  fish  of  the  sea  resort 
for  the  deposition  of  their  ova  to  tho  weedy  shoals,  where  the  vegeta- 
bles, in  process  of  their  growth,  under  tho  influence  of  tho  sun,  distri* 
bute  air  through  the  waters  around  them. 

"  The  science  required  for  this  object" — that  is  to  say,  tho  raising 
foreign  fishes  for  the  stocking  of  home  waters — thus  speaks  Sir  Hum- 
phrey Davy,  in  his  delightful  work,  "  Salmonia" — "  is  easily  attained, 
,Mnd  the  difficulties  arc  quite  imaginary.  The  impregnation  of  the  ova 
of  fishes  is  performed  out  of  tho  body,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to 
pour  the  seminal  fluid  from  the  melt  upon  the  ova  in  water.  Mr. 
Jacobi,  a  Gorman  gentleman,  who  made,  many  years  ago,  experiments 
on  the  increase  of  Trout  and  Salmon,  informs  us,  that  the  ova  and 
melt  of  mature  fish,  recently  dead^  will  produce  living  off"spring.  His 
plan  of  raising  Trout  from  tho  egg  was  a  very  simple  one.  He  had 
a  box  made  with  a  small  wire  grating  at  one  end  in  the  cover,  for 
admitting  water  from  a  fresh  source  or  stream,  and  at  tho  other  end 


MS 


Jkv 


'  wl;* 


:^i'MSSli 


70 


AMERICAN  FISHI'.S. 


of  the  sido  of  the  box,  thjrc  were  a  number  of  hoi '.s,  to  allow  the  exit 
of  the  water  ;  the  bottom  of  tho  box  wa.s  tilled  with  pobblcs  and  gravel 
of  different  sizea,  which  were  kept  covered  with  wtiter  that  was  always 
in  motion.  In  November,  or  the  beginning  of  December,  when  tho 
Trout  were  in  full  maturity  for  spawning,  and  collected  in  the  rivers 
for  this  purpose,  upon  the  bods  of  gravel,  he  caught  the  males  and 
females  in  a  net,  and  by  the  pressure  of  his  hands  received  the  ova  in 
a  basin  of  water,  and  suffered  the  melt,  or  seminal  luiid,  to  pass  into 
the  basin  ;  and  after  they  had  remained  a  few  minutes  together,  he 
introduced  them  upon  the  gravel  in  the  box,  which  was  placed  under 
a  source  of  fresh,  cool,  and  pure  water.  In  a  few  weeks  the  eggs  burst, 
and  the  box  was  filled  with  an  immense  number  of  young  Trout,  which 
had  a  small  bag  attached  to  the  lower  part  of  their  body,  containing  a 
part  of  tho  yolk  of  the  egg,  which  was  still  their  nourishment.  In  this 
state  they  were  easily  carried  from  place  to  place,  in  confined  portions 
of  fresh- water,  for  some  days,  requiring  apparently  no  food;  but  after 
about  a  week,  the  nourishment  in  their  bag  being  exhausted,  they 
began  to  seek  their  food  in  the  water,  and  rapidly  increased  in  size. 
As  I  have  said  betbre,  Mr.  Jacobi  as.sures  us  that  the  experiment 
succeeded  as  well  with  mature  fish,  that  had  been  killed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  the  roe  and  tlic  melt,  these  having  been  mixed 
together  in  cold  water  immodiately  after  they  were  taken  out  of  the 
body.  /  hove  had  this  expcrimeni  tried  tu'ice,'*^  continues  Sir  Hum- 
phrey, speaking  in  his  own  person,  "  and  with  perfect  success ;  and 
it  offers  a  very  good  mode  of  increasing  to  any  extent  tho  quantity 
of  Trout  in  rivers  or  lakes  ;  for  the  young  ones  are  preserved  from 
the  attacks  of  fishe^i,  and  other  voracious  animals  or  insects,  at  the 
time  when  they  are  most  easily  destroyed,  and  perfectly  helpless.  Tho 
same  plan,  I  have  no  doubt,  would  answer  equally  well  with  Grayling, 
and  other  varieties  of  the  Sal/no  genus.  But  in  all  experiments  of 
this  kind,  the  great  principle  is  to  have  a  constant  current  of  fresh  and 
aerated  water  running  over  the  eggs." 

Now  it  is  manifest  from  this,  that  any  person  resident  in  the  near 
vicinity  of  any  lake  or  river,  abounding  in  any  species  of  this  family, 
thf  Common  Trout,  tho  True  Salmon,  tho  Lake  Trout,  and  probably 
tlie  Otsego  HasH,  C(ire<ronus  ()tsev;(>^  which  is  one  of  the  same  family, 
likewise,  having  also  the  command  of  the  smallest  possible  source  of 


»Al,MONID;^^ 


•1 


frt'xh  running  wator,  can  ruiHo,  in  ihn  space  of  a  f  w  wooks  or  months, 
!in  indi'Gnit !  nuinbor  of  young  fiish,  of  any  of  thcHo  variotii^s,  which, 
(luring  tho  first  woek  or  t'n  days,  can  be  removed  to  any  distance  that 
can  bo  roachi-d  in  that  tiinsi — and,  in  th«so  dayH  of  stjam  volocity, 
what  distance  cannot  bo  reachod  ? — in  any  cask,  jar,  or  othor  voss  1, 
capablo  of  containin<T  a  finv  gallonfl  of  wator. 

Thorc  would  not,  in  this  manner  bo  tho  smalK'st  diffiiMilty,  and  vory 
small  trouble;  or  expense,  in  tniMshitins;  tho  Mackinaw  Salmon  and  the 
Siskawitz  Trout  from  I  iko  Huron  iind  Superior,  to  the  inland  waters 
of  iNow  Y'ork,  Now  Jersey,  anil  Pennsylvania — not  tho  smallest  difli- 
culty  in  introducing  tho  truo  Salmon  from  tho  Ponobscot  or  the  St. 
John,  to  any  lako,  river,  or  stream,  in  thn  Middle  States ;  and,  it 
having  been  proved  by  the  experiments  of  Mr.  Upton,  in  Lilymore, 
as  recorded  above,  that  the  Salmon  will  live  and  preserve  its  excel- 
lence in  fresh-water,  entirely  debarred  from  egress  to  the  sea,  would 
it  not  bo  a  bighiy  interesting,  and,  if  successful,  valuable,  experiment, 
to  attempt  its  introduction  into  the  hundreds  of  limpid  lakelets  which 
gem  the  inlands  and  uplands  of  our  Northern  States  ? 

Again,  as  it  is  w.dl  known  that  all  the  migratory  fish,  like  the  birds 
of  passage,  return,  whenc^vor  it  is  possible,  to  the  streams  wherein  they 
were  themselves  bred,  to  breed,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  bo  well 
worth  the  trying  whi>ther  th(!se  streams  of  ours  here,  to  tho  southward 
of  Maine,  which,  within  a  century  or  two,  teemed  with  Salmon,  but  in 
which  one  is  now  never  seen,  might  not  be  colonized  and  restocked 
with  the  delicious  fish. 

There  is  no  plausible  reason  why  the  pinks  which  should  be  trans- 
po;ted  to  the  upper  Hudson,  and  should  there  remain  till  they  become 
smolts,  should  not  return  as  grilse  to  the  scenes  of  their  childhood. 

i\or  do  I  see  any  good  reason  why  they  should  not  cimtinuo  to  breed, 
and  to  frequent  any  river  into  which  they  .should  be  so  introduced. 

Tho  cause  of  their  desertion  of  these  rivers  is  inexplicable.  It  has 
been  attributed  to  steamboats,  but  that  is  ideal;  ^a*  tho  Tay,  the 
Tweed,  and  the  Clyde,  and  half-a-dozen  other  English  and  Scottish 
rivers,  which  still  abound  in  Salmon,  are  harassed  by  more  .steam- 
boats, hourly,  than  are  the  Kennebeck  and  Penobscot  now,  or  than 
were  the  Hudson  and  Connecticut  at  the  time  when  the  Salmon  for- 
sook them,  daily. 


» ■»' 


!!.i' 


.„  ., ■■mm 


7a 


AMKBtfAN   FI.«U..S 


1  think  it,  niysi'lf,  far  inoro  probaMo  that  they  W'  lO  poi.soiu-d,  mid 
driven  from  tho  hoad-wati-rs  and  tributaries,  in  which  they  wcro  wont 
to  spawn,  by  thi;  wawdust,  especially  of  the  hemlock  ;  and  that  tho 
stock  which  were  used  to  run  up  these  estuaries  hiiviun;  become  extinct, 
the  traditional  instinct  is  lost,  iiikI  there  are  no  ti.-.h  1  '('t  which  know 
the  way  to  our  waters. 

If  this  be  a  true  reason — and,  tho  known  instinct  of  tho  animal  con- 
sidered, it  Ls  as  plausil>le  a  conjecture  as  any  other — it  is  certain  that 
many  rivers,  whose  waters  a  few  years  a^o  ran  turbid  with  sawdust, 
and  whoso  every  tributary  resounded  to  the  clack  of  the  saw-mill,  now 
airain  run  as  limpid  as  ever,  and  are  iruiltless  of  saws,  as  well  as  of  tho 
timber  to  supply  them. 

I  contend,  therefore,  that  there  is  no  analogy  against,  but  much  in 
favor  of  the  possibility  of  restockiuit  tin;  Southern  rivers  of  the  Mid- 
dle St^ates  with  Salmon,  which  should  return,  and  breed  in  them,  year 
after  year. 

Nor,  looking  to  the  vast  profit  directly  arising  from  such  fisheries, 
can  I  doubt,  particularly  when  regarding  the  action  of  the  New  York 
Legi.>*laturo  in  regard  to  a  fish  so  comparatively  worthless  as  tho  Carp, 
that,  could  such  a  thing  bo  effected  as  the  recoloniztition  of  our  rivers 
with  Salmon  fry,  some  action  of  the  legislatures  would  ensue  for  their 
protection,  until  such  time  as  they  could  be  fairly  naturaliz  .-d. 

Whether  t/tis  be  feasible  or  not,  it  is  ccrluin,  that  to  every  inland 
S])ring-lako,  from  the  western  line  of  Pennsylvania  to  their  easternmost 
and  northernmost  limits,  every  variety  of  Brook  Trout  and  Lake  Trout 
can  be  introduced  with  ease,  and  at  a  trivial  expense  ;  nor  those  only, 
but  the  true  Salmon  likewise.  And  I  strongly  believe  that,  when  tho 
extreme  simplicity  of  the  method,  and  facility  of  the  means,  become 
generally  known,  tho  true  Salmon  will  be  introduced,  at  least,  into 
the  lakes  of  IJaniilton  County,  as  well  as  into  many  other  inland 
waters.  In  fact,  running  as  he  does  now  into  Ontario,  there  is  no 
reason  why  he  should  not  be  safely  lodged,  beyond  tho  power  of  re- 
turning, above  Niagara,  and  compelled  to  fill  Erie,  Michigan,  Huron, 
and  Superior  with  his  noble  race. 

A  few  years  since,  he  found  his  way  into  Seneca  and  Cayuga  Lakes, 
and  if  modern  improvements — heavens  !  how  I  loathe  that  word  ! — 
have  not  exclml'd  him,  he  finds  his  way  there  yet,  and  thence  might 


SALMOMDiG. 


ra 


be  propagated,  ad  infinittim,  through  the  whole  region  of  the  lesser 
lakes. 

The  next  point  of  groat  value  to  bo  attained  by  the  uae  of  expori- 
iiicuts  of  tluH  nature,  is  tlie  useortuining  how  far  fish  are  capable  of 
hybridization;  and  possibly  the  creation  of  new  and  interesting  varieties, 
besides  the  elucidation  of  sundry,  now  mooted,  (juostious  concerning 
the  manner  in  whicti  various  spocios,  now  distinct,  have  arisen,  and 
whether  in  truth  they  are  distinct  or  no. 

Now,  it  ia  of  course  just  as  easy  to  commingle,  in  the  manner  here- 
tofore described,  the  melt  and  roe  of  two  distinct  variotios,  as  of  the 
same  species  ;  and  the  consequences  of  such  an  admixture  would  excite 
the  attention  of  the  whole  scientific  world. 

Anywhere  in  the  northern  and  north-eastern  part  of  the  State  of 
New  Vork,  anywhere  in  the  northern  parts  of  New  Hampshire,  Ver- 
mont, or  Maine,  it  would  bo  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  procure 
the  common  Lake  Trout,  Salmo  Confinis,  if  not  alive,  at  least  within 
a  few  hours  after  his  capture,  and  the  common  Brook  Trout,  dead  or 
alive,  in  any  desirable  quantities. 

There  is  little  if  any  difference  in  the  spawning  period  of  these  two 
Salmonidce,  so  that  it  would  require  very  little  pains  or  attention  to 
procure  the  males  and  females  under  the  circumstances  proper  for  the 
making  of  sucli  an  experiment,  which  might  bo  performed  precisely  as 
I  have  described  it  above  ;  trying,  in  diflForent  instances,  the  males 
and  females  of  the  two  species  altornatoly. 

There  are  thousands  and  tons  of  thousands  of  little  tumbling  trans- 
parent rills,  throughout  that  country — scarcely  a  farm  without  a  dozon 
such — which  have  numerous  natural  basins  in  their  courses,  each  of 
which,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  hours'  work  employed  in  raising  a  timber 
dam,  and  applying  a  grate  at  the  entrance  and  egress  of  the  stream, 
would  constitute  as  perfect  a  store-pond  for  the  making  of  such  expe- 
riments as  could  bo  erectod  by  the  wealth  of  Crcesus  ;  with  the  advan- 
tage, too,  of  having  the  fish  requisite  for  the  tests  existing,  in  a  state 
of  nature,  within  a  few  miles,  perhaps  within  a  few  hundred  yards,  of 
the  scene  of  action. 

One  place  already  made  to  hand,  requiring  no  improvement  or  alte- 
ration, strikes  me  on  the  instant;  and  one  familiar,  1  doubt  not,  to 
v;iry  xnnny  of  my  readers.        I  moan   Barhydt's  Trout-ponds,  near 


'^k 


* 


74 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


Saratoga  Springs,  whero  the  Brook  Trout  abound,  in  what  perfection 
all  epicures  well  know ;  and  where  the  Lake  Trout  could  bo  obtained, 
with  small  trouble,  alive,  from  tha  watars  of  Lake  George,  and  recently 
dead,  without  any  trouble  at  all.  Whether  the  latter  fish  Is  found  in 
Saratoga  Lake  or  not,  I  cannot  say ;  but  I  should  rather  suppobj  it  is  ; 
if  so,  the  matter  would  be  yet  further  siraplifijd. 

The  apparatus  described  above,  which  could  b3  made  at  the  cost  of 
a  few  shillings,  might  be  placed  in  the  runway,  between  the  upper  and 
lower  ponds,  so  as  to  allow  that  beautifully  clear  and  sparkling  source 
to  bathe  the  ova  constantly,  until  hatched  ;  after  which  the  fry  should 
be  kept  in  confinad  vessels  until  the  yolks  of  the  egg  were  absorbed, 
when  they  should  be  transferred  to  one  or  other  of  the  tanks  fed  by 
the  streamlet. 

In  the  same  manner,  in  many  places,  especially  in  Maine,  near  the 
west  branch  of  the  Penobscot,  where  it  flows  within  a  few  miles  of 
Moosohead  Lake,  iho  forui;!r  a  favorite  spawning  station  of  the  true 
Salmon,  the  latter  abounding  in  the  large  Liiko.  Trout  weighing  somo- 
times  up  to  thirty  or  forty  pounds,  it  might  easily  be  ascertained 
whether  a  hybrid  could  be  obtained  between  these  two  fishes  ;  and 
so,  perhaps,  in  a  greater  degree  upon  the  shores  of  the  great  lakes, 
where  both  these;  species  arc  taken,  eastward  at  least  of  Niagara. 

A  similar  trial  might  be  made  with  the  ova  of  the  Salmon,  and  of 
the  common  Trout ;  which  could  be  done  with  greater  facility  than 
the  other,  from  the  fact  that  the  two  species  are  constantly  found 
naturally  coexistent  in  the  same  waters. 

Should  any  of  these  experiments  result  in  the  production  of  hybrids, 
another  interesting  question  would  arise,  as  to  whether  the  males  thus 
produced  should  be  again  capable  of  reproducing  their  own  species. 
Should  this  be  the  case,  it  would  go  very  far  toward  the  breaking  up 
the  whole  theory  of  distinct  species  of  this  family,  and  proving  tlicm 
to  be  merely  accidental  varieties,  casually  produced  at  first,  and  hav- 
ing become,  in  process  of  generations,  capable  of  transmitting  their 
own  peculiar  type  to  their  progeny — as  is  the  case  clearly  with  the  va- 
rious breeds  of  dogs,  horses,  cattle  and  other  domestic  animals,  which, 
80  long  as  thny  are  preserved  unmixed,  will  produce  their  like  ;  but 
which,  if  inter-bred  with  other  closi'ly-kindred  races,  will  produc-  a  nion- 
tfrel,  but  not  a  hybrid — one,  I  mean,  which  is  capable  of  reproduction. 


SALMONID£. 


75 


Thus  S'uetland  ponies  breeding  together  will  produce  Shetland 
ponies  ;  and  blood-horses  of  the  Arab  stock,  blood-horses. 

Intermix  these,  and  you  shall  have  a  cross-bred  offspring ;  which  is 
not,  however,  a  hybrid,  like  the  produce  of  a  horse  and  an  ass ;  for  it 
is  capable  of  breeding  again,  with  it3  own  type,  or  with  either  of  the 
parent  races,  or  with  any  other  pure  horse. 

And  so  of  hounds,  setters,  greyhounds,  and  all  the  varieties  of 
domestic  dogs,  so  long  as  they  are  interbred  among  themselves ;  but 
the  moment  they  are  associated  w'  Ji  the  wolf,  fox,  jackal,  dingo,  or 
any  of  the  congenerous  though  distinct  races,  they  will  breed  with  them, 
it  is  true,  but  the  progeny  will  be  truly  hybrid  and  barren. 

If,  therefore,  it  should  be  proved  on  experiment,  that  the  various 
distinct  species  of  the  Salmonidce,  as  they  are  now  held  to  be,  will, 
when  interbred,  produce  young  capable  of  reproduction,  it  would  go 
very  far  to  establish  the  fact  that  the  distinctions  are  not  distinctions, 
but  merely  varieties. 

I  must  not,  however,  be  understood  as  saying  that  the  success  of 
experiments,  and  the  establishment  of  such  a  result  as  I  have  supposed, 
would  go  at  all  to  prove  that  such  intermixture  of  varieties  occurred,  or 
such  cross-breeds  were  produced,  in  a  state  of  nature ;  far  from  it. 

We  know,  that  in  vegetables,  hybrids  can  be,  and  are,  readily  pro- 
duced by  artificial  means,  which  will  not  occur  once  in  a  century,  per- 
haps never  would  occur  at  all,  were  the  plants  left  to  the  operation  of 
nature. 

Nature  abhors  monstrosities ;  and  the  proverb  that  the  "  cat  will 
follow  kind"  is  of  older  wisdom  than  Will  Shakspoarc's.  Man's 
freaks  have  raised  mongrels  between  the  lion  and  the  tigress;  nature's, 
so  far  as  wo  kncv,  or  can  conjecture,  never.  And  always  in  a  wild 
state  a  hundred  circumstances,  such  as  different  size,  diff'jrent  habits, 
haunts,  associations,  and  last,  not  least,  fear — one  species  of  the  same 
family  being  habitually  the  devourer  of  his  relatives — will  prevent  the 
occurrence  of  such  admixtures  between  animals. 

It  would  require  many  and  strong  evidences  to  make  me  believe 
that  the  Brook  Trout  of  ordinary  dimensions  would  trust  itself  wil- 
lingly within  such  distance  of  the  Salmon,  or  Lake  Trout,  as  would 
permit  their  ova  to  commingle  in  a  single  furrow. 

Nor,  indeed,  do  I  believe,  myself,  that  the  result  of  such  experi- 


m 


I  I 


*    i   'i 

^  Mi  ■*  y 

**  U  «i 

i  If  4 


76 


AMERICAN  PISHES. 


ments  as  these  last-named  would  be  success ;  although  I  gather  from  a 
note  of  Dr.  Bethune's,  to  his  beautiful  edition  of  Walton,  that  he 
rather  leans  to  the  opinion  that  the  various  species  of  this  family  were 
more  capable  of  intermixture,  and  more  accustomed  to  interbreed,  than 
I  am  disposed  to  credit. 

At  all  events,  there  would  be  great  interest  and  entertainment  in  the 
instituting  such  a  series  of  experiments ;  and  the  result,  whatever  it 
should  be,  could  not  fail  of  importance. 

That  those  which  I  first  mentioned  are  eminently  practicable,  is  not 
to  be  doubted ;  and  there  is  strong  reason  for  believing  that  this 
science  was  fully  understood,  and  constantly  practiced,  like  many 
other  good  things  now  forgotten,  or,  as  we  flatter  ourselves,  recently 
discovered,  by  the  monks  of  old. 

That  Carp  were  introduced  from  the  continent  to  England,  by  the 
monks,  is  nearly  certain  ;  this,  however,  could  be  accomplished  with- 
out recourse  to  any  artificial  modes  of  producing  or  raising  the  young 
fry.  There  are,  however,  many  and  powerful  reasons  for  believing 
that  the  Grayling  Thymallus  Vcxillifer^  the  Oxaxr^Salmo  Umbla,  the 
Gwyniad,Corc^owMS  Fera,  and  perhaps,  also,  the  Vondace,  Coregonus 
Willitghbu,the  Pollan,  Coregonus  Pollan,  and  the  Powan,  Coregonus 
Lacepedei,  were  also  introduced  by  the  same  agency  from  foreign  coun- 
tries. This  belief  is  supported  by  the  fact,  that  these  fish  exist  only 
in  isolated,  and  often  distant  waters ;  sometimes  in  only  one  of  two 
neighboring  rivers,  whereof  that  which  contains  them  is  apparently 
the  least  adapted  to  thf  ir  habits ;  but  always  in  such  waters  as  had 
many  or  distinguished  monastic  institutions  on  their  banks.  While 
England  was  Catholic,  great  attention  was  paid  to  the  raising  and  fat- 
tening the  choicest  varieties  of  fresh-water  fish  ;  an  art  which  has  sunk 
into  neglect,  partly  owing,  doubtless,  to  the  abolition  of  fast-days,  and 
partly  to  the  great  facility  with  which  the  finest  sea-fish  are  trans- 
ported throughout  the  country. 

If  the  fish  I  have  last  mentioned  were  so  introduced,  it  must  have 
been  by  some  such  process  as  that  which  I  have  here  described ;  for 
they  are  all  of  so  sensitive  and  delicate  a  nature,  that  it  is  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  they  can  be  kept  alive  for  an  hour  or  two  after 
being  captured,  and  that  only  by  a  constant  eliange  of  fresh  sprin<; 
water;  circumstances  which  would  liave  inaJc  it  utterly  impossibli; 


:':«;'i 


\  ; 


SALMONIDiE. 


77 


that  they  should  have  been  transported  from  the  continent,  after  they 
had  arrived  at  maturity. 

Even  to  this  day,  in  Austria,  lUyria,  and  parts  of  the  Tyrol,  the 
greatest  attention  is  paid  to  the  nurture  of  the  most  delicate  fresh- 
water fishes  in  confined  situations  ;  and  Sir  Humphrey  Davy  states  in 
his  "  Salmonia,"  that,  "  at  Admondt,  in  Styria,  attached  to  the  mag- 
nificent monastery  of  that  name,  are  abundant  ponds  and  reservoirs  for 
every  species  of  fresh-water  fish  ;  and  the  Charr,  Grayling,  and  Trout 
are  preserved  in  different  waters — covered,  enclosed,  and  under  lock 
and  key." 

And  now  having  at  length  come  to  the  end  of  this  sort  of  disserta- 
tion on  the  breeding,  growth,  and  specific  generation  of  the  Salmon, 
I  shall  briefly  consider  his  characteristics,  distinguishing  marks  and 
habits,  before  passing  to  his  nearest  relation,  in  this  country  at  least, 
the  Brook  Trout. 

The  Salmon,  Salmo  Salnr,  of  Linnaeus  and  all  authors,  is,  I  have 
observed  before,  a  soft-finned  fish  of  the  abdominal  division,  his  ven- 
tral fins  being  attached  to  the  parietes  of  the  belly.  His  head  is  smooth, 
his  body  scaly.  His  dorsal  fins  are  two  in  number,  the  first  supported 
by  soft  rays,  the  second  adipose  or  fatty,  without  rays ;  he  has  teeth 
on  the  vomer,  both  palatine  bones,  and  all  the  maxillary  bones.  His 
branchiostegous  rays  vary  in  number,  generally,  from  ten  to  twelve, 
but  are  irregular,  and  do  not  always  coincide  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
head.  The  teeth  on  fhe  vomer  rarely  exceed  two  in  number,  and 
there  is  frequently  but  ;hi? ;  a  b'lfrn  which  is  thought  to  distinguish  him 
from  the  Salmon  rrou'.  aud  otb*"-  connected  species. 

The  length  of  h' "-  bead,  to  t^<  uhole  length  of  his  body,  is  as  one  to 
five  ;  the  eye  sraoH  and  nearer  t  the  point  of  the  nose  than  to  the  pos- 
terior edge  of  thi;  giil  f  'Xf.i  The  pee(oral  fin  is  two-thirds  the  length 
of  the  head,  and  has  twexve  fin-rays.  The  ventral  fin  lies  in  a  vertical 
line  under  the  middle  of  the  dorsal  fin,  and  has  nine  rays ;  the  anal 
fin  coninicnces  about  half-way  between  the  origin  of  the  ventral  and 
caudal  fins,  and  has  nine  rays ;  the  caudal  fin,  or  tail,  has  nineteen 
rays;  when  the  fish  is  very  young,  it  is  much  forked,  but  as  it  advances 
in  years,  the  control  caudal  rays  ^^row  up ;  and  it  becomes  nearly 
square  by  the  end  of  the  fourth  year.  The  first  dorsal  fin  has  thirteen 
rays,  all  of  wliicli,  with  the  exceplio;'.  of  the  two  first,  are  branched. 


!l'/f 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


The  body  is  long,  aud  about  (>qu;illj  convex  above  and  bilow ;  thn 
lateral  line  dividing  the  body  nearly  equally,  aud,  to  a  certain  degree, 
parting  the  dark  hue  of  the  back,  and  silvery  whiteness  of  the  belly. 
The  form  of  the  gili-coviTS,  shapes  of  the  fins,  and  relative  propor- 
tions of  the  whole  fish,  will  bo  readily  understood  by  reference  to  the 
plate  facing  pago  -34,  at  the  head  of  this  article,  which  will  give  a  more 
correct  idea  than  any  written  description. 

The  Salmon  is,  to  all  intent.>i,  a  fish  of  prey ;  and  to  this  end  every 
part  of  his  frame  is  adapted,  in  the  most  perfect  manner,  by  the  master- 
hand  of  nature.  The  elongated  form  of  his  body  tapering  forward  and 
aft  with  the  most  gradually  curvated  lines,  like  the  entrance  and  the 
run  of  some  swift-sailing  banjue,  enables  him  to  glide  through  the 
swift  water  in  which  he  loves  to  dwell,  displacing  its  particles  with  the 
least  resistance  ;  the  powerful  muscles  and  strong  branched  rays  of  his 
broad  and  vigorous  caudal  fin  serve  as  a  propeller,  by  which  he  can 
command  an  immense  degree  of  momentum  and  velocity,  and  ascend 
the  sharpest  rapids. 

No  one  who  has  once  felt  the  arrowy  rush  of  a  fifteen-pound  Salmon, 
when  struck  with  the  barbed  steel,  will  be  inclined  to  imdervalue  his 
strength,  his  speed,  or  his  agility;  and  the  numercus  and  astonishing 
leaps  which  he  is  capable  of  making,  to  the  height  of  many  feet  above 
the  surfjice,  either  in  attempting  to  rid  himself  of  the  hook,  or  in  sur- 
mounting obstacles  to  his  upward  passage,  in  the  shape  of  dams,  flood- 
gatrs  or  catar.icts,  prove  the  exceeding  elasticity,  vigor  and  strength  of 
his  mu.scular  system. 

The  prodigious  power  of  sinew  exhibited  in  the  lythe  and  springy 
limbs  of  the  quadrupeds  of  prey  of  the  feline  order,  is  not  superior  in 
its  degree  to  that  possessed  by  this,  the  veritable  monarch  of  fresh- 
water fishes ;  nor  are  the  curved  fangs  and  retractile  talons  more 
efficacious  instruments  to  the  lion  and  the  tiger  for  the  seizure  of  their 
victims,  than  are  the  five  rows  of  sharp  hooked  teeth,  with  which  tlu 
whole  moiith  of  the  Salmon  is  bristled,  for  the  prehension  and  deten- 
tion of  his  slippery  and  active  prey. 

Nor  is  he  less  bold,  fierce,  and  persevering,  than  he  is  well  providi  d 
with  the  means  of  pursuit  and  the  instruments  of  destruction. 

As  a  proof  of  the  strength  and  courage  of  this  family,  it  is  recordeil 
by  Mr.  Yarrcl,  (hat  a   Pik-   and  a  Tiout,  put  together  in  a  confined 


SALMONIUJE. 


79 


place,  had  several  battles  for  a  particular  spot,  but  the  Trout  was 
eventually  the  master.  The  comparative  size  of  these  fish  is  not  men- 
tioned, but  of  course  there  was  something  approaching  to  an  equality, 
as  the  Pike  constantly  preys  on  small  Trout. 

It  is  very  certain  that,  although  great  havoc  is  made  among  Salmon 
by  the  Seal  and  the  Otter,  there  is  no  fresh-water  fish  which  would 
venjju-e  on  attacking  them,  not  even  the  Pike,  at  his  largest  size. 

The  Salmon  grows  to  a  very  large  bulk,  though  the  average  run  is 
probably  from  eight  to  sixteen  pounds ;  and  as  is  the  case  with  many 
kinds  offish,  the  middle-sized,  of  twelve  or  fourteen  pounds,  are  gene- 
rally considered  the  best  in  an  epicurean  point  of  view,  and  afford, 
commonly  speaking,  nearly  as  much  sport  when  hooked,  as  the  mon- 
sters of  the  species. 

"  The  present  London  season,  1835,"  says  Mr  Yarrel,  speaking  on 
this  point,  "  has  been  more  than  usually  remarkable  for  large  Salmon. 
I  have  seen  ten  different  fish,  varying  from  thirty-eight  to  forty  pounds 
each.  A  notice  appeared  in  the  public  papers  of  one  that  weighed 
fifty-five  pounds.  Salmon,  however,  of  much  larger  size  have  been 
occasionally  taken.  Mr.  Mudie  has  recorded  one  of  sixty  pounds. 
In  a  note  to  the  history  of  the  Salmon,  in  several  editions  of  Walton, 
mention  is  made  of  one  that  weighed  seventy  pounds ;  Pennant  has 
noticed  one  of  sevonty-four  pounds ;  the  largest  known,  as  :ar  as  I  am 
aware,  came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Groves,  the  fisbmonger  in 
Bond-street,  about  the  season  of  1821.  This  Salmon,  a  female, 
weighed  eighty-three  pounds  ;  was  a  short  fish  for  the  weight,  but  of 
very  unusual  'thickness  and  breadth.  When  cut  up,  the  flesh  was  fine 
in  color,  and  proved  of  excellent  quality. 

"  The  Salmon  of  the  largest  size  killed  by  angling,  of  which  I  have 
been  able  to  collect  particulars,  are  as  follows :  In  the  Thames,  Octo- 
ber 3, 1812,  at  Shepperton  Deeps,  Mr.  G.  Marshall,  of  Brewer-street, 
London,  caught  and  killed  a  Salmon  that  weighed  twenty-one  pounds 
four  ounces,  with  a  single  gut,  without  a  landing-net." 

Sir  Humphrey  Davy  is  recorded  as  having  caught  an  immense  fish, 
weighing  about  forty-two  pounds,  immediately  above  Yair-bridge,  and 
captured  him  after  a  severe  struggle. 

Mr.    Lascellos,  in    his   letters   on  sporting,  says: — "The 


large.st 


I  ''^:'Y 


••  I  -fi« 


so 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


Salmon  I  ever  knew  taken  with  a  fly,  was  in  Scotland ;  it  weighed  fifty- 
four  pounds  and  a  half." 

In  this  country,  except  in  Canada,  where  there  are  many  excellent 
and  enthusiastic  Salmon-fishers,  this  noble  sport  is  but  little  followed, 
and  there  are  few  records  extant  of  the  number  or  size  of  fish  taken. 

It  will  be  sufficient  to  observe,  however,  that  in  the  St.  Lawrence 
and  its  tributaries,  especially  those  great  streams  coming  in  froi%  the 
Northward,  the  Saguenaw  particularly,  the  number  and  size  of  the 
Salmon  are  at  least  equal  to  those  in  the  finest  English  or  Scottish 
rivers ;  an  intimate  friend  of  my  own  laving  killed  within  a  few  years, 
on  the  St.  Lawrence,  near  the  ironth  of  the  river  named  above,  twenty 
fish  in  a  single  day's  fishing,  o'^  j  of  which  weighed  above  forty  pound«», 
while  the  smallest,  if  I  am  not  greatly  mistaken,  exceeded  sixteen. 
This  was  all  done  with  the  fly. 

"  It  may  be  stated  generally,"  says  Yarrel,  "  that  Salmon  pass 
the  summer  in  the  sea,  or  near  the  mouth  of  the  estuary ;  in  autumn 
they  push  up  tu.e  rivers,  diverging  to  their  tributary  streams ;  in  winter 
they  inhabit  i.he  pure  frush  water,  and  in  spring  again  descend  to  the 


soa. 


These  habits  of  the  fish  are  unquestionably  more  or  less  modified  by 
climate  and  other  influences,  and  it  is  certain  that  in  America  the 
Salmon  enter  the  rivers,  and  begin  to  run  up  them  in  June  ;  by  Sep- 
tember they  have  arrived  at  the  shallow  and  gravelly  head  waters  of 
the  streams,  and  are  preparing  to  spawn ;  and  I  presume  that  as  soon 
as  that  operation  is  finished  they  return  to  the  salt-water  to  recruit, 
and  consequently  that  here  they  do  not  pass  the  winter  in  fresh-water. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  many  observers,  that  the  Salmon  do  not  go 
very  far  out  to  sea,  but  remain  constantly  within  soundings,  and  not 
very  far  distant  from  their  native  streams,  to  which,  whenever  it  is 
pra'iticablo,  they  return  ;  this  is,  however,  very  questionable. 

]\[any  are  taken  on  the  British  coasts,  while  running  along  the  shore 
ir  the  summer  moniivri,  and  searching  for  the  mouths  of  the  rivers 
which  they  desire  to  ascend ;  but  very  few  are  taken  here  until  they 
have  made  their  way  up  the  estuaries,  when  they  are  captured  in  great 
numbers  by  means  of  stake-nets. 

They  do  not,  it  is  true,  invariably  return  to  the  streams  in  which 
they  were  bred,  although  they  do  so,  beyond  doubt,  in  a  very  great 


SALMONID^. 


81 


majority  of  instances ;  but  it  would  appear  from  the  observations  of 
Dr.  Hcysham  and  Sir  William  Jardinc,  that  if  they  have  roved  to  a 
very  great  distance  from  the  estuary  of  their  own  stream,  they  betake 
themselves  to  the  mouth  of  the  first  river  they  reach,  if  its  temperature 
and  the  condition  of  its  waters  suits  them. 

Many  Tweed  Salmon  are  occasionally  taken  in  the  frith  of  Forth, 
.ind  it  is  even  said  that  in  seasons  when  the  Forth  fisheries  are  unusu- 
ally successful,  those  of  the  Tweed  are  as  much  the  reverse.  Sir  Hum- 
phrey Davy  is  of  opinion  that  the  taste  of  the  waters  of  different 
rivers,  according  as  they  are  impregnated  with  different  substances, 
and  the  effect  produced  by  them  on  the  bronchiaa  of  the  fish  in  the  act 
of  breathing,  are  the  guides  by  which  Salmon  are  led  back  to  the  streams 
to  which  they  have  been  accustomed ;  and  he  accounts  for  their  being 
occasionally  mistaken,  by  the  fact  that  such  mistakes  frequently  occur 
during  great  floods,  connected  with  storms,  or  violent  motion  in  the 
waters  near  the  shore ;  by  which  the  components  of  the  waters  are 
disturbed,  and  their  flavor  consequently  altered.  In  confirmation  of 
this  view,  he  relates  that  he  "  remembers  in  this  way,  owing  to  a  tre- 
mendous flood,  catching  with  the  fly  a  large  Salmon  which  had  mista- 
ken his  stream,  having  come  into  the  Bush,  near  the  Giant's  Cause- 
way, instead  of  the  Bann.  No  fish  can  be  more  distinct,"  he  proceeds, 
"  in  the  same  species,  than  the  fish  of  these  two  rivers,  their  length  to 
their  girth  being  in  a  ratio  of  20 : 9  and  20  :  13." 

I  am  not,  however,  inclined  to  adopt  this  explanati.>n.  For  it  seems 
to  me  that  in  migratory  animals  of  all  kinds,  and  indeed,  in  some 
instances,  in  domestic  animals  likewise,  that  there  is  some  sort  of  sixth 
sense,  or  at  least  some  entirely  distinct  power,  not  acquired  by  means 
of  any  of  the  senses  of  which  we  are  cognizant,  nor  acting  like  reason, 
by  means  of  deduction,  which  enables  them  to  steer  their  course 
through  countless  leagues  of  air  or  water,  or  over  miles  of  uncultivated 
land,  to  the  places  where  they  were  bred,  or  to  which  their  instincts 
compel  them  to  resort  for  the  purpose  of  wintering,  obtaining  food,  or 
the  like. 

And  I  no  more  believe  that  Salmon  are  guided  back  to  tbcir  native 
rivers  by  the  flavor  of  the  waters,  than  I  do  that  the  swfllow,  finds 
his  way  from  Africa  to  Europe,  or  from  Southern  to  Northern 
America,  by  the  scent  of  the  tainted  atmosphere. 


'•'   A',  ifW 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


I  am  disposed,  therefore,  to  believe  with  Yarrel,  that  this  oo- 
oasional  variation  from  their  ordinary  custom,  is  caused  by  their 
having  strayed  to  such  a  distance  from  their  native  estuaries,  that 
when  the  time  comes  for  returning,  they  prefer  taking  the  first  suitable 
river,  to  making  longer  delay. 

The  female  fish,  it  is  observed,  are  the  first  to  enter  the  rivers,  and 
the  grilse,  or  young  fish,  which  have  not  yet  spawned,  come  in 
earlier  than  the  full-grown  Salmon.  They  swim  with  great  rapidity, 
shoot  up  the  most  oblique  and  glancing  rapids,  with  the  velocity  of  an 
arrow,  and  frequently  leap  falls  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  perpendicular 
height. 

It  was  formerly  believed  that,  in  making  their  prodigious  springs, 
the  fish  takes  its  tail  in  its  mouth,  and  shoots  itself  like  a  pliant  stick, 
the  ends  of  which  are  forcibly  brought  together  and  then  allowed  to 
spring.  This,  however,  is  a  fable ;  although,  in  making  these  leaps, 
the  muscular  efforts  of  the  animal  do  really  impart  to  it  a  curvilinear 
form. 

It  is  believed  that  the  utmost  limit  of  perpendicular  height  which 
they  can  attain  is  fourteen  feet ;  but  their  perseverance  is  as  remarkable 
as  their  strength,  and  though  they  fail  time  after  time,  and  fall  back 
into  the  stream  below,  they  remain  but  a  few  moments  quiescent,  to 
recruit  their  strength,  before  they  renew  their  efforts ;  and  they 
generally  succeed  in  the  end,  although  they  are  said  sometimes  to  kill 
themselves  by  the  violence  of  their  own  efforts  to  ascend,  and  are 
frequently  captured  in  consequence  of  falling  on  the  rocks. 

1  once  watched  a  Salmon  for  above  an  hour  endeavoring  to  pass  a 
mill-dam  on  the  river  VVharfe,  a  Salmon  river  in  the  West  Riding  of 
Yorkshire.  The  dam  was  of  great  height,  thirteen  or  fourteen  feet 
at  least,  and  was  formed  with  a  sort  o"  step  midway,  on  which  tho 
water  fell,  making  a  double  cascade.  While  I  was  watching  him, 
this  fish,  which  was,  I  suppose,  of  some  seven  or  eight  pounds,  made 
above  twenty  leaps,  constantly  alighting  from  his  spring  about  midway 
the  upper  shoot  of  the  water,  and  being  constantly  swept  back  into 
the  eddy  at  its  foot.  After  a  pause  of  about  a  couple  of  minutes,  he 
would  try  it  again ;  and  such  was  his  vigor  and  endurance,  that  he  at 
Inst  succeeded  in  surmounting  the  formidable  obstacle ;  and  to  my 


•ALMONIDJ::. 


83 


great  pleasure — for  I  had  become  really  interested  in  hit)  sucoess — 
wont  on  hia  way  rejoicing. 

The  voracity  of  the  Salmon  is  excessive  ;  and  yet  from  the 
Bingular  fact,  that  their  stomachs  are  invariably,  or  almost  invariably, 
found  entirely  empty,  none  of  the  numerous  examiners  have  been  able 
to  satisfy  themselves  what  constitutes  its  principal  support.  The 
stomach  of  the  Salmon  is,  comparatively  speaking,  sm.ill  ;  and  Sir 
Humphrey  Davy  asserts  that,  out  of  many  which  he  had  opened,  ho 
never  found  anything  in  their  stomachs,  but  the  tape-worms  bred 
there,  and  some  yellow  fluid.  This  p'iculiarity  must,  I  think,  be  in  a 
great  measure  attributed  to  their  rapid  digestion.  In  this  they  diflfer 
greatly  from  \;he  Salmon  Trout,  which  is  constantly  found  stuffed  with 
food  of  all  sorts,  the  remains  of  small  fish,  beetles,  insects,  and  the 
sand-hopper,  Talitris  locusta,  which  would  seem  to  be  their  favorite 
food. 

Dr.  Knox  states,  that  the  food  of  the  Salmon,  and  that  on  which 
all  its  estimable  qualities,  and  in  his  opinion,  its  very  existence 
depends,  and  which  the  fish  can  only  obtain  in  the  ocean,  he  has 
found  to  be  the  ova,  or  eggs  of  various  kinds  of  echinodermata,  and 
some  of  the  Crustacea.  From  the  richness  of  the  food  on  which  the 
true  Salmon  solely  subsists,  arises,  at  least  to  a  certain  extent,  the 
excellent  quality  of  the  fish  as  an  article  of  food.  Something, 
however,  must  be  ascribed  to  a  specific  distinction  of  the  fish  itself ; 
for  though  he  has  ascertained  that  the  Salmon  Trout  lives  in  some 
localities  on  very  much  the  same  kind  of  food  as  the  true  Salmon,  yet, 
under  no  circumstances  does  this  fish  ever  attain  the  same  exquisite 
flavor  as  the  true  Salmon." 

Dr.  Fleming  states  that  their  favorite  food  is  the  sand-eel ;  "  I 
have  myself,"  says  Mr  Yarrel,  "  taken  the  remains  of  the  sand- 
launce  from  their  stomach."  It  is  known,  moreover,  that  they  are 
taken  in  Scotland  by  lines  baited  with  this  brilliant  and  glittering 
little  fish  ;  as  are  the  clean-run  fish,  fresh  from  the  sea,  with  the 
common  earth-worm.  Mr.  Yarrel  mentions  an  instance  of  one  boin^ 
taken  in  the  Wye  with  a  niinnow,  and  Sir  Humphrey  Davy  states, 
he  has  finhjd  for  them  in  the  Tay  with  groat  success,  with  th  >  Parr, 
probably  thiMv  own  young  fry,  on  spinning  ttickl.'. 

For  what  they  mistake  the  large  artificial  fly,  by  which  they  are  so 


IN 


n  ':a 


1  ul;.lt:,ii|;SJi 


AMERICAN    riSMES. 


marvellously  allured,  taking  it  greedily,  at  a  very  ahort  distanou  from 
the  sea,  wo  cannot  determine.  It  is  li^'o  nothing  that  has  any  existence 
in  nature  ;  and  some  persons  have  iir^agined  that  the  Salmon  is 
deceived  by  the  gay  colors  and  the  ripple  of  the  water,  and  so  takes 
them  for  small  fish.  This  is  not  credible,  however ;  and  the  most 
plausible  suggestion  is  that  of  Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  that  the  fish,  on 
their  return  from  salt  water,  where,  of  course,  they  find  nothing 
analogous  to  the  natural  or  artificial  fly,  are  actuated  "  by  a  sort  of 
imperfect  recollection  of  their  early  food  and  habits  ;  for  flies  form  a 
great  part  of  the  food  of  the  Salmon  fry,  which  for  a  month  or  two 
after  they  are  hatched,  feed  like  young  Trouts — and  in  March  and 
April,  the  spring  flics  are  their  principal  nourishment.  In  going  back 
to  fresh  water,  they  may  perhaps  have  their  habits  of  feeding 
recalled  to  them,  and  naturally  search  for  their  food  at  the  surface." 

While  I  am  on  this  topic,  it  may  not  be  nninteresting  to  quote  the 
relation  of  an  experiment  tried  with  regard  to  the  effect  of  various 
kinds  of  food  on  the  Trout,  as  it  is  probable  that,  in  fish  so  closely 
allied;  the  facta  would  not  vary  much  in  relation  to  the  Salmon. 

Mr.  S'oddart  relates  this,  in  his  "  Art  of  Angling  as  practised  in 
Scotland ;"  but  the  experiment  was  made  in  the  South  of  England. 
'*  Fish  were  placed  in  three  separate  tanks ;  one  which  was  supplied 
daily  with  worms,  another  with  live  minnows,  and  the  third  with  those 
small  dark-colored  water  flies,  which  are  to  be  found  moving  about 
on  the  surface,  under  banks  and  sheltered  places.  The  Trout  fed  with 
worms  grew  slowly,  and  had  a  lean  appearance.  Those  nourished 
on  minnows,  which,  it  was  observed,  they  darted  at  with  great 
voracity,  became  much  larger ;  while  such  as  were  fattened  upon 
flies  only,  attained  in  a  small  time,  prodigious  dimensions,  weighing 
twice  as  much  as  both  the  others  together  ;  although  the  quantity  of 
food  swallowed  by  them  was  in  no  wise  so  great." 

I  may  here  observe  that,  from  the  fact  of  the  Salmon  roe,  when 
preserv^ed  secuTidum  artem^  proving  a  most  deadly  and  infallible  bait 
for  Salmon — so  much  so  indeed,  that  the  use  of  it  in  England  is 
regarded  as  unsportsmanlike,  and  as  an  act  of  poaching — there  can 
be  little  doubt  that  the  ova  of  fishes  of  all  kinds  contribute  to  their 
food,  and  add  probably  to  the  richness  of  their  flesh. 

I  have  now  gone  through,  I  believe,  all  that  is  most  remarkable  and 


SAI.MONIDii:. 


moHt  int'-roatiiig  in  relation  to  the  natural  history,  tho  form,  habits, 
food  and  seasons  of  this  noble  fish  ;  but  those  who  wish  to  study  him  for 
thumselvos,  and  road  concerning  him  more  at  largo  than  tho  space, 
which  can  bo  allotted  to  a  single  specimen  in  this  volume,  will  admit,  I 
refer  to  Yarrel's  fine  work  on  British  Fishes ;  to  that  delightful  work 
"Salmonia,"  by  Sir  Humphrey  Davy ;  and  to  Scrope's  superb  work, 
entitled,  "  Days  and  Nights  of  Salmon  Fishing,"  which,  though  I 
have  not  enjoyed  an  opportunity  of  examining  it,  I  understand  to  bo 
both  the  finest  and  the  most  complete  treatise  on  this  topic. 

In  a  future  portii  '   of  the  work,  I  shall  enter  at  large  upon  all  the 
minutiaa  of  rods,  t  ,  bait,  &o.,  necessary  for  the  capture  of  the 

king  of  tho  frcsh-w  .s ;  as  well  as  upon  the  science  of  taking  him 
with  tho  artificial  fly,  and  all  the  appliances  to  that  end.  Until  theUi 
adieu  to  Salmo  Salar. 


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AMERICAN    riSHES 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONIDiG. 


Brook  Trovt,  riHT  Touno  Frt. 


THE   BROOK  TROUT. 

THE  COMMON  TROUT THE  TROUTLET.* 

The  Nrw  York  Ciuir  ;  Richardson. — Salmo  Fontinalia;  DeKay. 

Like  the  wild  animals  of  this  continent,  almost  without  exception, 
the  Trout  of  America  is  a  distinct  species  from  the  fish  of  Europe  ; 
although,  as  in  many  other  instances,  the  general  resemblance  is  so 
strong,  and  the  characteristic  differences  so  narrow,  that  in  the  eyes 
of  a  common  observer,  judging  from  memory  only,  they  appear  to  be 
identical. 

Many  sportsmen,  who  have  boon  in  the  habit  of  killing  this  beau- 
tiful fish,  both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  are  under  the 
impression  that  there  is  no  material  difference  ;  but  such  is  not,  in 
truth,  the  case  ;  for  as  with  the  snipe,  the  teal,  the  widgeon,  and 
many  others  of  the  birds  of  America,  the  characteristic  marks  of 
distinction,  though  easily  overlooked  at  first,  by  a  person  unacquainted 

*  This  namo  'r  npplicd  to  the  fish  while  in  the  stale  represented  in  t'  c  n*  above, 
bv  Dr.  DeKny. 


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SALMONIDiE. 


W$'j[ 


with  them,  when  once  pointed  out,  cannot  be  readily  mistaken,  and, 
being  both  permanent  and  invariable,  are  quite  Hufficient  to  establish 
diversity  of  species. 

It  is  not  in  formation,  moreover,  or  appearance  only,  but  in  very 
many  of  its  habits,  that  the  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  FoniinaliSy  of  Ame- 
rica, differs  from  his  congener,  the  common  Trout,  Salmo  Farioy  of 
Europe. 

Still,  in  general,  his  manners,  his  haunts,  his  prey,  and  his  mode  of 
taking  it,  so  closely  resemble  those  of  the  European  Trout,  that  as  a 
general  rule,  the  instructions  given  for  the  taking  the  one  will  be  found 
successful  as  regards  the  other ;  and  the  flics,  baits,  and  general  style 
of  tackle,  as  well  as  the  science  of  capturing,  with  some  few  excep- 
tions, which  will  be  noticed  hereafter,  are  nearly  identical,  on  the 
two  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  As  in  Europe,  so  in  America,  although 
there  are  countless  varieties  of  this  most  beautiful  of  fishes,  almost 
indeed  a  variety  for  every  stream,  still,  according  to  the  opinions  of 
what  I  deem  the  best  authorities,  there  is  but  one  distinct  species. 

Endless  attempts  have  been  made  in  England  to  distinguish  and 
define  fresh  species;  but  these  have,  in  my  judgment,  all  failed. 
According  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  whose  opinion  on  this  subject  I  consider 
paramount  to  all  others,  the  Gillaroo,  or  Gizzard-trout,  as  it  is  some- 
times erroneously  called  by  the  Irish,  and  some  of  the  Scottish  writers, 
is  merely  a  casual  variety  of  the  Salmo  Fario.  The  distinction,  which 
consists  principally  in  the  thickness  and  induration  of  the  stomach, 
having  arisen  from  feeding  on  shell-fish,  in  the  first  instance,  in  indi- 
viduals, has  been  gradually  ingrafted  on  generations,  until,  in  process 
of  time,  it  has  become  a  permanent  type. 

Although  this  varioty  is  not  known  to  exist  on  this  continent,  I  have 
a  very  strong  suspicion,  from  many  circumstances  which  I  have  heard, 
on  good  authority,  concerning  the  Trout  of  the  Mavshpee  river,  in  Miia- 
sachusets,  that  on  examination,  it  will  be  found  to  possess  some  of  the 
loading  peculiarities  of  this  fish,  particularly  the  indurated  stomach. 
I  have  never  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  Trout  of  this  river  ; 
but  I  know  that  it  has  many  peculiarities  of  habit  resembling  those  of 
the  Gillaroo,  especially  that  of  feeding  on  shell-fish,  a  friend  of  mine 
having  actually  succeeded  in  taking  them  with  small  white  crabs,  at  a 
tim«  when  they  would  look  at  no  other  bait. 


88 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


I  mention  this,  merely  by  way  of  saggestion,  as  offering  an  interesting 
subject  of  investigation  for  naturalists. 

Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  in  his  Salmonia,  rather  leans  to  the  idea  that 
the  Gillaroo  is  a  distinct  species,  though  he  leaves  it  uncertain  whether 
it  may  not  be  a  permanent  variety  ;  his  principal  argument  being 
thip,  that  he  has  caught  small  fish,  not  longer  than  the  finger,  with  a 
fly,  "  which  had  as  perfect  a  hard  stomach  as  the  larger  ones,  with  the 
coats  as  thick  in  proportion,  and  the  same  shells  within." 

In  external  appearance,  the  Gillaroo  is  said  to  differ  from  the  com- 
mon Trout  "  very  little,  except  that  they  have  more  red  spots,  and  a 
yellow  or  golden-colored  belly  and  fins,  and  are  generally  a  broader 
and  thicker  fish."  Again,  Sir  Humphrey  admits  that  ^'  in  a  clear  and 
cool  river,  fish  that  feed  much  on  larvae,  and  swallow  the  hard  cases, 
become  yellower,  and  the  red  spots  increase  so  as  to  outnumber  the 
black  ones ;  and  these  qualities  become  fixed  in  the  young  fishes,  and 
establish  a  particular  variety." 

This  would  seem,  in  plain  English,  to  describe  the  existence  of  a 
fish  in  the  direct  process  of  change,  from  the  ordinary  form  of  the 
Trout  to  the  Gillaroo,  the  feeding  on  the  larvae  of  winged  insects,  in 
their  hard  stony  cases,  being,  as  it  were,  a  first  step  toward  becoming 
shell-fish  eaters,  and  the  effect  being  indicated  in  the  gradual  change 
of  color,  though  the  causes  have  not  been  as  yet  sufficiently  powerful 
to  produce  the  induration  of  the  stomach. 

In  America,  likewise,  it  has  been  attempted  to  draw  a  distinction ; 
and  Dr.  DeKay,  a  very  accomplished  and  able  icthyologist,  although 
perhaps — ^with  all  deference  be  it  spoken — rather  too  much  of  an  in- 
door naturalist,  and  too  much  inclined  to  admit  hearsay  evidence,  has 
designated  a  species  as  Salmo  Erythrogaster^  the  Red-bellied  Trout ; 
which  I  confess  I  do  not  believe  to  be  even  a  permanent  variety,  but 
merely  a  brilliant  specimen  of  the  common  Brook  Trout,  in  its  highest 
season,  taken,  probably,  from  some  very  bright  and  sunny  water.  In 
this  view  I  am  fully  sustained  by  Professor  Agassiz,  who  has  made 
some  very  curious  experiments  with  regard  to'the  colors  of  fishes,  of 
the  Salmonida  especially  ;  and  who  has  ascertained,  beyond  a  doubt, 
not  only  that  the  Trout  of  diffei-ent  neighboring  waters  are  affected  by 
the  color  and  quality  of  the  water,  but  that  the  Trout  of  the  same  river 
vary  in  color  accordingly  as  they  haunt  the  shady  or  the  sunny  side  of 


SALMONIDiG. 


89 


the  stream.  For  it  is  a  woU-known  fact,  that  the  Salmonidaj  although 
many  of  them  are  migratory  at  certain  seasons,  have  their  own  haunts 
and  hunting  grounds  to  which  they  steadily  adhere,  moving  but  a  short 
distance  from  one  spot,  in  pursuit  of  their  prey,  and  returning  to  it 
when  satisfied. 

Thus,  in  a  mountain-brook,  you  shall  find,  perhaps,  that  the  pool 
between  an  upper  and  lower  fall  or  rapid  is  occupied  by  two  fish  ;  one 
of  these  will  lie  at  the  head,  the  other  at  the  tail,  of  the  pool,  the  more 
powerful  fish  selecting  the  spot  which  he  chooses,  and  neither  ex- 
changing  places,  nor  hunting  far  from  his  habitual  haunts. 

In  still  waters,  in  like  manner,  you  will  find  that,  day  after  day,  the 
same  large  Trout  will  be  seen  under  this  bank,  by  that  large  stone,  or 
in  the  cavity  formed  by  the  roots  of  yon  ash  or  alder ;  and  that  he  will 
not  stray  to  any  distance  from  it,  but  will  seek  his  prey  nearly  in  the 
same  waters,  and  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  the  opposite  bank  being 
probably  held  by  a  rival  fish. 

That  this  will  at  first  be  deemed  far-fetched  and  improbable,  I  think 
likely  enough  ;  but  the  more  we  consider  it,  the  more  reasonable  shall 
it  appear ;  for  when  wo  weigh  the  great  influence  of  light  in  the  pro- 
duction of  colors,  and  then  think  how  much  the  transmission  of  light 
through  diflFerent  media,  as,  for  instance,  waters  of  different  degrees  of 
density,  purity,  and  color,  affects  the  light  itself,  we  shall  find  the 
theory  far  less  extravagant  than  it  strikes  us  at  a  first  glance. 

And  here,  I  shall  quote  an  anecdote,  related  in  Salmonia,  for  the 
piurpose  of  elucidating  an  entirely  different  point,  which  yet  is  so  much 
to  the  purpose,  in  the  present  instance,  that  it  is  even  more  valuable 
i)a  illustration  of  this,  than  of  that  for  which  it  is  quoted. 

"  A  manufacturer  of  carmine,"  thus  runs  the  story,  "  who  was  aware 
of  the  superiority  of  the  French  color,  went  to  Lyons  for  the  purpose 
of  improving  his  process,  and  bargained  with  the  most  celebrated  man- 
ufacturer in  that  capital  for  the  acquisition  of  his  secret,  for  which  he 
was  to  pay  a  thousand  pounds.  He  was  shown  all  the  processes,  and 
saw  a  beautiful  color  produced,  yet  he  found  not  the  least  difference  in 
the  French  mode  of  fabrication  and  that  which  he  had  constantly 
adopted.  He  appealed  to  the  manufacturer,  and  insisted  that  he  must 
have  concealed  something.  The  manufacturer  assured  him  that  ha 
had  not,  and  inviti^d  him  to  see  the  process  a  second  titne.     He  min- 


iSrM 


90 


AMERICAN  FISHED. 


ut^Iy  examined  the  water,  and  the  materials,  which  were  the  same  as 
his  own,  and,  very  much  surprised,  said, '  I  have  lost  my  labor  and 
my  money,  for  the  air  of  England  does  not  permit  us  to  make  good 
carmine. '  '  Stay,'  says  the  Frenchman,  *  do  not  deceive  yourself ;  what 
kind  of  weather  is  it  now  ?'  'A  bright  sunny  day,'  said  the  Eng- 
lishman. '  And  such  are  the  days,'  said  the  Frenchman, '  on  which  I 
make  my  color.  Were  I  to  attempt  to  manufacture  it  on  a  dark  or 
cloudy  day,  my  results  would  be  the  same  as  yours.  Let  me  advise 
you,  my  fiiond,  to  make  your  carmine  on  bright  sunny  days.'  '  I  will,' 
says  the  Englishman, '  but  I  fear  I  shall  make  very  little  in  London.' " 

Now  this  anecdote  may  be  depended  upon ;  for  a  person  so  distin- 
guished as  a  chemist  and  natural  philosopher  as  Sir  Humphrey  Davy, 
would  not  have  related  a  story  in  regard  to  the  effect  of  light,  which 
was  contrary  to  truth,  or  which  he  did  not  directly  know  to  be  true. 

And  if  the  effoct  of  sunshine  is  so  great  on  color,  as  that  the  in- 
crease or  decrease  of  its  brilliancy  should  >7ause  a  totally  different 
result  to  follow  from  the  combination  of  precisely  the  same  chemical 
ingredients,  it  will  readily  follow  that  much  more  effect  will  be  pro- 
duced by  its  excess  in  one  case,  or  almost  total  exclusion  in  another, 
upon  hues  so  changeful  as  those  which  glitter  on  the  scales  of  a  fish. 

That  in  a  pure  limpid  rapid  stream,  rushing  over  a  bright  gravelly 
bed,  through  opon  fields,  where  no  envious  boughs  intercept  the  sun- 
light, and  in  a  dark  turbid  pond,  the  waters  of  which  are  saturated 
with  the  draining  of  peat-bogs,  or  with  the  juices  of  decomposed  vege- 
table matter,  and  overshadowed  by  thick  evergreen  umbrage,  the  light 
even  of  the  most  gorgeous  noon  will  be  transmitted  in  very  different 
degrees,  and  produce  very  different  effects  both  of  color,  heat  and 
radiance,  any  person  can  judge,  who  will  observe  the  sunbeams  as  they 
fall  through  a  sheet  of  pure  plate-glass,  or  a  thick  green  bull's-eye ; 
and  that  the  consequences  may  easily  be  as  they  are  stated  above,  he 
will,  I  think,  be  satisfied. 

Now,  in  the  first  place,  analogous  to  this,  and  in  corroboration  of 
this  view  of  the  subject,  I  will  remark  here,  that  one  of  the  principal 
external  differences  between  the  American  and  the  European  Trout, 
is  precisely  as  might  be  expected  under  the  views  taken  above.  The 
climate  here  being  far  more  sunny,  the  atmosphere  drier  and  more 
transparent,  and  the  weather  more  constant  and  lightsome,  we  find  that 


SALMONIDJE. 


91 


the  Trout  of  America  is  a  lighter  colored,  brighter,  gayor,  and  more 
gorgeous  creature  than  his  Europoin  kinsman.  And,  farther  yet,  we 
shall  find  that  in  the  purest  and  most  limpid  streams,  in  the  lakes  which 
to  the  most  transparent  waters  add  the  sunniest  expanse,  the  brightest 
and  most  beautiful  Trout  are  taken ;  while  in  black  boggy  waters,  or 
in  forest-embowered  rivers,  the  colors  of  the  fish  are  rather  dim  and 
dusky. 

This  is  not,  however,  merely  a  matter  of  theory  and  analogy,  for 
experiments  have  been  actually  tried  on  this  point,  and  with  perfect 
success.  Mr.  Agassiz  assures  me  that  he  has  repeatedly  known  very 
brilliant  and  gaily-colored  fish,  taken  in  clear  and  sunshiny  waters,  and 
transferred  to  neighboring  pools  or  streams  of  totally  different  charac- 
ter, to  begin  to  fade  and  lose  the  intensity  of  their  colors,  sensibly, 
within  a  very  few  hours,  and  after  a  few  days  or  weeks,  to  be  entirely 
undistinguishable  from  the  native  fish  of  the  place. 

This  accounts,  at  once,  for  the  facts  so  often  stated,  and  seemingly 
so  inexplicable,  of  two  lakes  communicating  with  each  other  by  a  com- 
mon channel,  and  containing  two  distinct  varieties  of  Trout,  one  beau- 
tiful, and  excellent  upon  the  table,  the  other  dark-colored  and  ill-tasted, 
the  two  varieties  never  being  known  to  intermingle,  or  to  exchange  from 
one  to  the  other  water. 

The  explanation  of  this  apparent  phenomenon  is,  that  the  change  pro- 
duced by  passing  from  the  dark  and  p^at-soiled  waters  of  the  one  lake, 
to  the  limpid  element  of  the  other,  in  the  fish,  is  so  rapid,  that  they 
assimilate  themselves  almost  instantaneously,  in  outward  appearance, 
to  the  fish  into  whose  society  they  have  emigrated 

The  lakelet,  known  as  Stump-pond,  on  the  noiuj^rn  side  of  Long 
Island,  which,  as  its  nam?  indicates,  is  filled  with  thobuttsof  dead  trees, 
and  saturated  with  vegetable  matter,  has  been  for  many  years  famous, 
or  I  should  rather  say  infamous,  for  the  ugliness,  want  of  brilliancy, 
and  indifferent  quality  in  a  culinary  point  of  view,  of  its  Trout,  as  com- 
pared with  those  of  the  bright  and  transparent  mill-ponds  and  rivulets 
of  the  south  side.  No  one,  however,  has  ever  thought  of  erecting  them 
into  a  species,  or  of  designating  them  as  Salmo  Stumppondicus^  seeing 
clearly  the  cause  and  effect ;  and  lo  !  now  of  late  years,  as  the  cause 
is  passing  away  with  the  process  of  time,  the  effect  is  also  disappearing ; 
as  the  vegetable  matter  is  decaying,  being  absorbed,  and  swept  away, 


0 


li 


93 


AMERICAN  FISHES 


and  OS  the  purifying  influences  of  the  springs  are  gaining  upon  the  cor- 
rupt and  stagnant  qualities  of  the  pond,  the  fishes  are  likewise  becoming 
brighter  and  better.  In  the  course  of  a  few  more  years,  it  is  probable 
that  thoy  will  be  scarcely  distinguishable  from  the  finely-formed  and 
finely-colored  fish  of  Snedecor's  or  Carman's  streams,  at  Islip  and  Fire- 
place. 

Doubtless,  other  causes  besides  the  influence  of  light,  have  their 
effect  both  upon  the  app  jaranco  and  the  flavor  of  the  Trout ;  we  have 
seen  that  their  color  is  affected  by  the  shell-fish,  or  even  the  larvae  of 
flies,  on  which  thoy  feed ;  we  have  also  seen  that  they  increase  in 
weight,  size,  and  fatness,  according  as  they  are  nourished  with  worms, 
with  small  fry,  or  with  water-flies ;  and  no  one  in  his  senses  can  doubt, 
I  imagine,  that  if  those  flsh  which  have  obtained  scarlet  spots,  and 
become  golden-flnnod  and  golden-bellied  by  feeding  on  shell-fish,  or 
nrustaceous-cased  insects,  were  confined  upon  a  regimen  of  dew-worms 
or  May-fiics,  they  would  gradually  relapse  into  their  original  coloring. 

N  )r  can  it  bo  supposed,  I  think,  judging  from  all  analogy,  but  that 
the  Gillaroo  Trout,  kept  permanently  in  situations  where  it  could  never 
find  either  shell-fish,  or  any  hard  edible  substances,  would  gradually 
lose  the  distinctive  hardness  of  its  stomach,  as  well  as  its  characteristic 
coloring.  The  probability  is,  that  the  young  fry  of  a  finger's  length, 
spoken  of  by  Sir  Humphrey,  would  lose  the  distinction  individually ; 
and  I  do  not  at  all  conceive  it  likely  that  the  characteristic  would  sur- 
vive through  two  generations  from  the  largest  adult. 

While  I  am  writing  on  this  point,  I  will  cite  a  fact,  though  it  belongs 
with  greater  propriety  to  the  history  of  another  fish,  the  Greatest  Lake 
Trout,  Salmo  Amethystus,  when  describing  which,  it  will  be  noticed 
more  fully.  This  is  simply  that  in  the  same  lakes,  Huron  and  Superior, 
this  same  fish  exists  in  three  different  states  of  color,  so  totally  dissimilar, 
that  it  is  supposed  by  the  French  inhabitants  of  the  shores,  to  be  three 
distinct  fishes,  and  is  known  by  three  distinct  naires,  according  to  the 
situations  in  which  it  is  found,  and  by  which  its  coloring  is  evidently 
affected. 

Drawings  of  the  fish  in  two  of  these  stages  are  now  lying  before  me, 
and  will  be  presented  to  my  readers  under  the  proper  head ;  here,  it 
will  be  sufficient  to  state  that,  but  for  the  shape  of  the  head  and  gill- 
covers,  the  form  of  the  fins  and  the  number  of  the  fin-rays,  things  not 


SALMONIDJE. 


98 


examined  by  the  superficial  observer,  thoy  would  pass  for  different  fish. 
Those  three  varieties  are  known  as  the  Truite  tie  Grhve^  Truite  dea 
Batturea,  and  Truite  du  Large ;  or,  Trout  of  the  muddy  bottom,  Trout 
of  the  rocky  shores,  and  Trout  of  the  open  waters ;  the  first  being  a 
dull  mud-colored  fish,  the  second  bright  and  handsomely  mottled,  and 
the  last  bluish  and  silvery,  and  resembling  more  a  clean-run  Salmon 
than  a  Lake  Trout. 

This  is  so  fairly  a  chbc  in  point,  that  I  cannot  resist  quoting  it  here, 
as  it  is  perfectly  evident  that  there  is  no  real  distinction  whatever ;  and 
if  this  be  so  of  one  variety  or  species,  there  is  no  reason  for  doubting 
that  like  causes  will  produce  like  effects,  in  the  congenerous  species. 
Again,  it  is  not  only  possible,  but  in  the  highest  degree  probable,  that 
the  different  chemical  substances  which  are  held  in  solution  by  the 
waters  of  various  streams  and  lakes,  may  not  bn  without  their  influence 
on  the  coloring  of  their  inhabitants.  I  think  I  have  myself  observed, 
both  on  this  continent  and  in  Europe,  that  the  Trout  in  streams  flow- 
ing from  lime-stone  formations  are  more  lustrous,  and  more  strongly 
spotted  than  those  of  duller  and  less  lively  waters. 

That  the  fish  of  streams  rushing  rapidly  over  pebbly  beds,  are  supe- 
rior in  all  respects,  both  of  appearance  and  quality,  to  those  of  ponds 
or  semi-stagnant  brooks,  is  confessedly  notorious ;  but  this  may  arise 
not  so  much  from  any  particular  components  of  the  waters  themselves, 
as  from  the  fact  that  rapidly-moving  and  falling  water  is  more  highly 
aerated,  the  atmosphere  being  more  freely  intermingled  with  it,  and 
therefore  more  conducive  to  the  health  and  condition  of  all  that  in- 
habit it. 

Independently  of  DeKay's  Salmo  Erythrogatter^  I  find  mention 
made  in  the  "  American  Angler's  Guide,"  of  the  Silver  Trout,  the 
Common  Trout,  the  Common  Trout  of  Massachusetts,  the  Black  Trout, 
the  Sea  Trout,  and  the  Hucho  Trout,  although  to  none  of  these  except 
the  last,  is  any  scientific  name  attached. 

I  beg,  however,  to  assure  my  readers,  that  there  are  no  such  distinc- 
tions existing  in  nature.  The  Silver  Trout,  which  is  stated  to  be  found 
in  almost  all  of  our  clear,  swift-running  northern  streams,  and  to  weigh 
from  one  to  fifteen  pounds,  is  in  no  respect  a  different  fish  from  the 
common  Trout  of  Long  Island ;  nor  does  that  fish  differ  in  any,  the 


91 


AMKRICAtt  rilHCS. 


Htnallcit,  particular  from  tlu*  Trout  of  MnHSAohusutts,  or  of  any  other 
place  in  the  United  Statoa,  wimro  the  Truut  ozista  ut  all. 

I  wish  greatly,  that  the  author  of  tho  "  American  Angler's  Guide" 
had  given  some  authority  for  bis  statement,  that  this  fish  is  taken  in 
this  country  up  to  fifteen  pounds,  or  even  up  to  half  that  weight.  1 
have  myself  some  slight  suspioion  that  such  is  the  caso  rarely,  in  the 
northern  lakes — I  do  not  moan  the  groat  lakes — of  New  York  and 
New  England ;  and  that  it  is  tiu^ro  mistaken  for  soittn  new  species,  or 
a  variety  of  the  Lake  Trout,  from  which  it  differs  far  more,  in  all 
respects,  than  it  docs  from  the  true  Salmon. 

I  have,  however,  never  been  able  to  gain  any  authentic  information 
of  any  true  fiiook  Trout  liiiving  over  boon  taken  in  Canada,  or  in  the 
United  States,  above  the  weight  of  ton  pounds  \  and  that  size  is  of  so 
rare  occurrence,  that  when  one  is  taken,  it  is  regarded  as  a  monster, 
and  is  heralded  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  through  the 
public  press.  I  have  myself  soun  a  Trout,  taken  in  the  winter  through 
the  ice,  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  which  lacked  but  a  few  ounces 
of  six  pounds.  I  know  several  instances,  not  exceeding  half-a-dozen, 
of  fish  varying  from  four  to  five  pounds,  taken,  some  on  Long  Island, 
some  in  the  interior,  within  twelvo  or  thirteen  years,  but  I  have  never 
heard  it  asserted  that  a  fish  of  larger  size  has  been  taken  in  America. 

There  is,  I  am  aware,  a  tale  that  many  yours  since,  a  Trout  of  eleven 
pounds  was  taken  at  Firuplaoc ;  and  a  rough  sketch  of  the  fish  is  still 
to  be  seen  on  the  wall  of  the  tavern  bar-room.  I  know,  however,  that 
this  fish  was  considered  at  the  time,  by  all  the  truo  sportsmen  who  saw 
it,  to  be  a  Salmon,  and  the  sketch  is  said  to  bear  out  that  opinion, 
though  I  do  not  myself  undorstiind  how  a  mere  outline,  not  filled  up, 
can  convey  any  very  distinct  idea  of  the  species  intended. 

Suffice  it,  that  it  is  not  only  not  on  record  that  any  Trout  of  seven 
pounds  or  upward  has  been  captured  on  this  continent,  but  that  old 
fishermen  will  assert  positively,  that  they  never  grow  to  be  above  five 
pounds  in  weight ;  and  very  coolly  and  civilly  imply  to  you  that  you 
are  spaaking  falsely,  when  you  tell  them  that  Trout  from  ten  to  twenty 
pounds  are  no  groat  rarities  in  F^n upland,  and  that  they  are  taken  even 
of  a  much  greater  weight.  The  fact,  on  this  point,  is,  that  Trout  of 
ten  or  even  fifteen  pounds — I  moan  the  common  spackled  Trout, 
Salmo  Farioy  analogous  to  our  Drook  Trout — are  more  common  in 


SALMONIDJR. 


Ronio  of  tho  largo  rivers  of  England,  and  large  lakes  of  Ireland,  than 
fiah  of  four  poundis  are  hero.  There  probably  rarely  passes  a  season 
in  which  ten  or  a  dozen  of  thcso  large  fish,  exceeding  ten  pounds' 
weight,  are  not  taken  in  tho  Thames.  1  do  not  think  that  here,  on  an 
average,  one  four-pound  fish  is  killed  annually ;  and  their  rarity  is 
abundantly  proved  by  tho  fact  that  their  capture  is  always  recorded. 

The  Bashe's  Kill,  in  Sullivan  county,  to  which  the  Silver  Trout  is 
assigned,  is  a  pretty  Trout  stream,  but  in  no  wise  superior  to  a  thou- 
sand others  throughout  the  country ;  and,  like  all  mountainous  streams, 
is  fur  more  celebrated  for  the  number,  than  for  the  size  of  its  fish. 

In  both  respects,  it  is  surpassed  by  many  of  the  Pennsylvauian 
streams  of  the  same  neighborhood,  falling  into  the  Delaware  from  the 
westward ;  and  in  the  size  and  excellence  of  its  Trout,  it  cannot  sus- 
tain a  moment's  comparison  with  the  fish  of  the  Long  Island  streams 
on  the  south  side.  Its  fish,  it  is  needless  to  add,  are  in  no  wise  dis- 
tinct. 

The  Trout  of  Massachusetts  are  identical  with  the  common  Trout 
of  New  York  ;  the  figure  at  the  head  of  this  article  is  from  a  specimen 
taken  in  Massachusetts.  I  have  caught  Brook  Trout  myself  from 
Maine  to  Pennsylvania,  and  can  safely  pronounce  on  their  identity. 
Tho  Black  Trout  is  merely  an  accidental  variety ;  the  colors,  taste, 
and  habits  of  which  are  affected  by  the  peaty  waters,  and  stagnant  flow 
of  the  lazy  streams  in  which  it  is  found,  and  from  which  it  obtains  a 
corresponding  diuginess  of  hue,  muddiness  of  flavor,  and  laziness  of 
character. 

With  regard  to  the  Sea  Trout,  as  it  is  here  called,  I  shall  quote  a 
few  paragraphs  from  the  pages  of  "  Smith's  Fishes  of  Massachu- 
setts,"  although  I  cannot  say  that  I  esteem  it  a  work  on  which 
much  reliance  can  be  placed,  as  the  author  appears,  from  some  of  his 
statements,  to  be  a  writer  of  more  rashness  than  discrimination,  and 
more  ready  than  qualified  to  give  his  opinion  decidedly,  and  without 
appeal. 

These  qualities  are  rendered  sufliciontly  apparent  by  his  indulging  in 
a  violent  tirade  against  Dr.  Mitchil,  of  New  York,  whom  he  accuses 
of  vanity  and  presumption,  in  affixing  his  own  name  to  the  Striped 
Bass,  which  he,  Smith,  a.sserts  to  be  "  a  common  table  Jish,  known  from 
lime  immemorial  all  over  Evrope^ 


i 


ii 


96 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


it  is,  I  presume,  at  this  day  entirely  unnecessary  to  state,  that  Dr. 
Mitchil  was  perfectly  right  as  to  the  distinct  character  of  the  American 
fish,  and  its  being  utterly  unknown,  and  non-existent  in  Europe  ;  and 
Smith  is  wrong  in  every  possible  particular ;  the  fish  to  which  he 
refers  it,  the  Sea  Bass  of  Europe,  Lubrax  Lupus  of  Cuvier,  Perca 
Lahrax  of  Linnaeus,  being  altogether  a  difi'orent  fish,  though  of  the 
same  family,  perfectly  distinct  both  in  habits  and  appearance. 

Of  the  Sea  Trout,  Smith  says: — 

"  They  are  found,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the  name,  in  the  salt  and 
brackish  waters  of  tide  rivers  nnd  inland  bays,  in  various  parts  of  this 
and  the  adjoining  States.     When  taken  from  the  salt-water  early  in 
spring,  they  are  ii  high  perfection,  and  nothing  can  exceed  their  pis- 
catory symmetry.      The  general  appearance  of  the  skin  is  of  silvery 
brightness,  the  back  being  of  a  greenish  and  mackerel  complexion ; 
the  spots  of  a  verniillion  color,  mixed  with  others  of  faint  yellow,  and 
sometimes  slightly  tinged  with  purple,  extend  the  whole  length  on 
either  side  of  the  lateral  liua  ;  the  fins  are  light  in  color  and  firm  in 
texture,  and,  together  with  the  tail,  are   rather  shorter   and   more 
rounded  than  the  common  Trout.     They  have  a  firm  compactness  of 
form  from  head  to  tail,  wiiich  accounts  for  the  superior  sprightliness  of 
their  movement ;  the  head  and  mouth  are  very  small,  and  the  latter 
never  black  inside,  like  the  common  or  fresh-water  Trout;  the  flesh 
is  even  redder,  or  rather,  we  would  say,  more  pink-colored  than  the 
Salmon,  to  which,  by  many,  they  are  preferred  as  a  delicacy,  having, 
like  the  Salmon,  much  of  what  is  called  curd,  or  fat  between  the  flakes. 
"  A  fish  of  a  pound  weight  measures  about  eleven  inches  in  length . 
Their  average  size  is  considerably  larger  than  the  fresh-water,  or  Brook 
Trout — having  been  taken  in  the  waters  to  which  we  refer — Waquoit 
bay,  upon  Cape   Cod,  and  Fireplace,  Long    Island — of  nearly  five 
pounds'  weight ;  such  instances,  however,  are  rare,  three  pounds  being 
considered  a  very  large  fish.     We  do  not  remember  ever  seeing  a  poor 
fish  of  this  kind  taken.     They  are  invariably  in  good  condition,  let  the 
size  be  what  it  may,"  &c.,  &c. 

I  have  quoted  this  passage,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  warning  my 
r(>aders,  in  a  few  words,  that  there  is  no  such  thing;  and  that  the 
whole  of  the  above  refers  merely  to  the  Brook  Trout. 

All  the  varieties  and  species  of  Salvwniihc,  with  the  exception  of 


salmonid.t:. 


97 


pomft  of  the  large  lacustrine  spccios,  are  migratory  whenever  it  is  in 
their  powor  to  be  so ;  and  run  clown  to  the  sea,  annually,  for  the 
purpose  of  recruiting  themselves  after  spawning,  whence  they  return, 
like  the  Salmon  and  Salmon  Trout,  in  excellent  condition,  perfect 
symmetry,  and  in  the  highest  stage  of  external  beauty. 

The  non-migratory  habit  of  the  large  lacustrine  species  does  not 
depend,  in  any  degree,  on  their  position  or  situation  above  impassable 
cataracts,  or  in  waters  without  outlets,  although  they  are  frequently 
found  under  such  circumstances,  for  they  do  not  run  down  to  the  sea, 
even  when  they  have  it  in  their  power  to  do  so  ;  as,  for  instance,  in 
Lake  Ontario,  where  they  are  found  abundantly;  nor,  on  the  other 
hand,  do  they  proceed  far  up  the  rivers,  for  the  purpose  of  spawning, 
being  content  to  deposit  their  ova  on  the  gravel  beds  of  shoal  water, 
at  the  margins  of  their  lakes,  or  at  the  mouths  of  the  brooks  which 
discharge  into  them. 

Of  the  migratory  species,  the  Brook  Trout  is  one ;  and  when  it  is 
in  his  power,  he  invariably  descends  to  the  sea,  and  returns  to  perpetu- 
ate his  species  by  depositing  his  spawn  in  the  clearest,  coolest,  and 
most  limpid  waters  which  he  can  find.  There  can  be,  I  think,  little 
doubt  t'  at,  like  the  Salmon,  he  returns  to  the  streams  in  which  he  has 
been  bred. 

There  are,  doubtless,  hundreds  of  mountain  brooks  throughout  the 
country,  divided  by  impracticable  falls,  natural  or  artificial,  from  the 
sea ;  and  although  these  teem  with  hordes  of  Brook  Trout,  they  never 
attain,  in  them,  to  any  size ;  the  mature  adults  being  scarcely  larger 
than  the  young  fry,  while  they  are  still  marked  with  the  transverse 
bandings  of  the  Parr.  The  flesh  of  this  little  fish  never  attains  the 
rich  cherry-colored  tint  of  the  Trout,  in  full  season,  but  is  of  a  pulo 
yellowish  flesh-color,  and  has  neither  the  richness  nor  the  flavor  of  the 
sea-run  variety.  That  these  swarms  do  not  visit  the  sea,  is  not  be- 
cause they  lack  the  will,  but  because  they  have  not  the  power ;  and 
it  is  possible  that  the  habit  of  running  seaward  being  precluded  gene- 
ration after  generation,  the  instinctive  desire  for  it  passes  away  in  the 
process  of  time.  But  that  the  degeneracy,  both  in  size  and  flavor, 
is  caused  by  the  inability  to  recruit  their  powers  in  the  salt-water,  is 
rendered  evident  by  the  facts  1  have  already  quoted  concerning  the 
falling  off  of  Salmon  and  Salmon  Trout,  both  in  size  and  appearance, 


<?;'* 


f 

'    .>  i 

,    1 


AMERICAN  FISUE9. 


when  intentionally  confined  in  fresh-water  lakes ;  as  well  as  by  the 
enormous  rapidity  of  growth  manifested  in  the  Salmon  smolts,  which, 
having  been  a  year  and  a  half  in  fresh  water,  attaining  a  length  of 
seven  or  eight  inches,  and  a  weight  of  about  so  many  ounces,  after  a 
visit  of  a  few  months  to  the  sea,  return  not  only  reinvigorated  in  con- 
dition, but  increased  in  bulk  to  seven  or  eight  pounds  weight. 

Tliis  accounts  very  readily  for  the  superior  size  of  what  Mr.  Smith 
designates  as  a  distinct  species  of  Sea  Trout,  which  is,  in  reality,  only 
the  Brook  Trout  on  his  return  from  the  sea.  The  circumstances  of 
its  condition  speak  for  themselves. 

Who  ever  saw  a  Salmon  fresh-run  from  the  sea,  of  whatever  size  or 
age,  otherwise  than  in  excellent  condition  and  of  rare  beauty .'  Who 
ever  took  a  spent  fish,  of  the  same  species,  ^at  was  not  ugly,  lean, 
discolored  and  uneatable  ? 

The  silvery  whiteness  and  the  bluish  back  of  the  Sea  Trout,  as 
described  above,  is  peculiar  to  all  fresh-run  fish  of  this  family ;  and  in 
Scotland  a  skilful  Salmon-fisher  will  tell  you,  at  a  glance,  how  many 
tides  a  fish  has  been  in  the  river,  merely  from  seeing  him  leap  at  a  fly 
or  a  minnow. 

All  the  other  marks,  cited  by  Smith  as  characteristics,  are  merely 
signs  of  condition,  as  the  brilliancy  of  the  coloring,  the  breadth  and 
thickness  of  the  fish,  and  the  comparative  smallness  of  the  head,  which 
is  produced  by  no  alteration  whatever  of  that  portion  of  the  body,  but 
by  the  increase  and  development  of  the  body  itself,  which  at  this  sea- 
son and  stage  of  the  animal,  is  equal  in  its  circumference  to  one-half 
its  length. 

It  is  well  known  and  undisputed  in  Long  Island,  that  the  Pond-fish 
and  Creek-fish,  as  they  are  termed,  pass  to  and  fro  between  the  fresh 
and  the  salt-water  ;  and  although  the  Creek-fish  are  occasionally  there 
called  Sea  Trout,  it  is  by  no  means  as  implying  that  they  are  of  a 
difi^erent  species,  but  merely  indicating  the  water  in  which  they  are 
taken. 

The  fish  to  which  I  referred  above  in  my  introductory  remark?  on 
the  Salmonida,  as  being  perhaps  a  distinct  kind,  analogous  to  >e 
Salmo  Trutta  of  Linnaeus,  is  by  no  means  this  Trout,  but  a  very  differ- 
ent animal,  found  only  in  the  eastern  and  north-eastern  rivers,  which 
empty  their  waters  into  the  Bay  of  Fundy  or  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 


,v-'« 


SALMONIDJE. 


99 


rence.  This  Trout  is  fouud  only  in  these  rivers,  and  so  far  as  1  can 
learn,  instead  of  running  up  to  the  head  waters  of  the  streams  in 
ordsr  to  spawn,  comes  up  only  to  the  foot  of  the  first  rapids  with  the 
flood,  and  returns  with  the  tide  of  ebb.  Even  about  this  Trout  I  have 
my  doubts,  though  before  finishing  this  work,  I  hope  to  have  more 
dafinita  information  on  the  subject. 

With  regard  to  the  fish  mentioned  above,  I  have  no  doubts  whatever. 
It  vari3S  in  nothing  from  the  common  Trout  but  in  those  particulars, 
which  prove  that  it  has  run  to  the  salt-water. 

The  last-named  variety,  Salmo  Hucho,  which  is  also  cited,  on  the 
authority  of  Smith,  as  a  fish  of  New  England,  stands  in  the  same 
category  with  the  last-mentioned. 

There  is  no  such  fish  on  the  continent  of  America  ;  and,  indeed, 
even  on  the  European  continent,  where  alone  it  is  found,  its  limits  are 
narrower,  and  its  geographical  range  smaller,  than  that  of  any  known 
fish.  It  is,  in  fact,  found  only  in  tributaries  of  the  Danube,  more 
especially  in  the  Traun,  the  Saave,  the  Draave,  and  the  Laybach 
rivers.  Some  writers  have  supposed  him  to  be  purely  a  fresh-water 
fish,  but  it  is  believed  by  Davy,  that,  in  liis  largest  state,  he  is  an  in- 
habitant of  the  Black  Sea.  He  is  said  to  spawn  in  the  Muir  between 
March  and  May,  and  in  the  Danube  in  June. 

He  is  the  fiercest  and  most  predatory  of  all  the  Salmonida,  and  it 
is  useless  to  attempt  the  capture  of  large  ones  with  the  fiy.  Spinning 
tackle,  the  bleak,  the  minnow,  and  small  trout,  or  parr,  are  the  only 
modes,  and  the  only  bait  which  he  cares  to  take. 

In  shape,  he  resembles  an  ill-fed  Trout,  being  the  longest  and 
slenderest  oj'  all  the  Salmonida,  the  ratio  of  his  length  to  his  girth 
being  as  18  to  8,  or  in  well-fed  fish,  20  to  9.  He  has  a  silvery  belly, 
and  dark  spots  only  on  the  back  and  sides,  which,  in  itself,  shows  suffi- 
ciently that  he  is  not  the  fish  described  by  Smith  under  this  name. 

Smith's  fish  is  described  "  as  resembling  much  the  Sea  Trout ;  but 
being  found,  on  a  careful  examination,  to  be  more  slender,  and  to 
have  a  greater  number  of  red  spots.  The  back  is  dusky  ;  the  ventral 
fin  has  a  yellowish  tinge  ;  all  the  others  are  of  a  palish  purple  ;  the 
tail  is  forked,  and  the  fish  measures  sometimes  four  feet  through — or- 
dinarily they  are  only  about  two,  and  are  caught  by  the  hook.  This 
Trout  certainly  exists  in  the  large  rivers  and  ponds  in  the  interior,  but 


100 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


deteriorate  in  size.  Tliey  are  brought  from  New  Hampshire  in  the 
winter,  frozen,  for  the  markets,  and  from  the  northern  parts  of  Maine, 
where  specimens  have  been  taken  as  large  as  any  produced  in  the 
great  rivers  of  Europe." 

This  passage  I  quote  from  the  "  American  Angler's  Guide,"  and  1 
do  so,  to  declare  that  this  fish  is,  in  the  first  instance,  not  the  Hucho  ; 
and,  secondly,  to  point  out  that  no  such  fish  has  ever  been  authenti- 
cally produced  at  all.  A  Hucho  of  the  Laybach,  of  two  feet  in 
length,  by  eleven  inches  girth,  and  three  inches  thickness,  was  found 
to  weigh  four  pounds  two  and  a  half  ounces.  Now,  fishes  increase  in 
weight  in  the  ratio  of  their  breadth  and  depth,  not  of  their  length,  a 
Trout  of  thirty-one  inches  weighing  seventeen  pounds.  Whether  any 
Trout  or  Salmon  has  ever  been  taken  of  full  four  foot  in  length  I 
greatly  doubt.  If  so,  its  weight  must  be  enormous  ;  the  largest  Salmon 
ever  known,  the  eighty-three  pounder,  which  came  into  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Groves,  the  London  fishmonger,  in  1821,  is  described  as  having 
been  a  short  fish  for  the  weight,  and  I  am  convinced  would  not  have 
measured  four  feet. 

Now  it  remains  to  inquire  what  is  this  fish  which  Mr.  Smith  desig- 
nates as  the  Hucho  ;  and  is  there  any  such  fish  in  existence  elsewhere 
than  in  that  gentleman's  imagination  .'' 

Now  I  fear  the  answers  to  these  questions  must  be  in  the  negative, 
since,  most  assuredly,  there  is  no  scarlet-spotted  Trout  on  record  at 
all  approaching  to  the  size  described  by  Mr.  Smith,  which  we  must 
reckon  at  the  rate  of  from  seventy  to  one  hundred  pounds  weight. 

The  Salmo  Amethystus,  Mackinaw  Salmon,  which  does  grow  to 
that  prodigious  size,  and  which  answers  to  many  of  the  particulars 
specified,  is  never  scarlet-spotted,  nor  does  the  Salmo  Confinis  of  Dr. 
Dekay  ever  show  a  red  spot. 

One  or  both  these  fish  do  exist  in  the  lakes  of  Maine  and  New 
Hampshire,  from  Temiscouata  to  Winnepisiogee,  and  it  may  be  that 
this  is  a  mis-descripiion  of  one  of  these.  If  it  be  not,  it  is  either  a 
new  and  nondescript  fish,  of  the  kind  mentioned  as  killed  by  the  Pre- 
sident of  the  Piseco  Club,  "  with  red  flesh,  weighing  twenty-four 
pounds,"  or  it  is  a  very  large  specimen  of  the  Brook  Trout,  and, 
moreover,  wonderfully  exaggerated  in  dimensions. 

It  is  a  remarkable  peculiarity  of  the  American   Trout,  that  it   is 


8ALM0NIDJE. 


101 


Holdoni  found— except  when,  as  a  v(^ry  rare  exception,  one  is  taken  in 
t\ii  drawing  the  scan — in  any  large  rivers.  I  have  never  heard  a  soli- 
tary instance  of  a  fish  being  taken  either  with  the  bait  or  the  fly,  or 
(!Vi'n  with  the  spinning  tackle,  in  any  large  stream,  unless  quite  at  its 
h  uid  waters,  where  it  is  not  large.  All  the  Trout  which  are  taken, 
ai'c  taken  in  what  are  here  called  creeks,  and  what  would  in  Europe 
bi  described  as  largo  brooks,  or  small  rivers  of  the  sixth  or  seventh 
class.  In  these  the  run  of  fish  greatly  exceeds  the  dimensions  of  the 
little  inhabitants  of  the  mountain  brooks.  This,  in  addition  to  other 
facts,  at  the  knowledge  of  which  we  have  arrived  through  the  experi- 
uunts  recorded  heretofore  as  made  in  England  with  regard  to  the 
growth  of  fishes,  lead  us  irresistibly  to  the  conclusion  that  the  use  of 
largo  expp  .es  of  suitable  water  is  necessary  to  the  Trout,  in  order  to 
th(!ir  arriving  at  any  great  ma-^nitude. 

It  is,  therefore,  quite  witliin  the  range  of  possibility,  that  in  the 
large  pure  inland  lakes,  supplied  by  the  limpid  springs  of  the  moun- 
tains, the  Brook  Trout  of  America  may  attain  a  growth  analogous  to 
that  of  the  wjll-fed  and  full-grown  Trout  of  the  Thames,  the  Stour, 
and  the  Irish  lakes  ;  a  growth  which  the  smallness  of  the  streams 
which  they  do  frequent,  and  their  inexplicable  avoidance  of  the  large 
and  navigable  rivers,  prevent  them  from  acquiring  elsewhere. 

I  cannot  say  that  I  shall  bo  at  all  surprised  should  it  turn  out,  on 
investigation,  that  the  Brook  Ti-out,  Salmo  Fontinalis,  is  indeed  occa- 
sionally taken  up  to  the  weight  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  pounds,  espe- 
cially in  the  waters  of  Hamilton  County,  and  is  now  confounded,  on 
account  of  its  size,  with  the  great  Lake  Trout — not  equal  to  it, 
whether  as  a  fish  of  game  or  a  table  fish — of  the  same  waters. 

The  Brook  Trout  proper  of  America  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
creatures  in  form,  color,  and  motion,  that  can  be  imagined. 

He  is  slenderly  and  gracefully  formed,  though  rather  deeper  in 
proportion  to  his  length  than  the  Salmon,  and  far  more  so  than  the 
Lake  Trout. 

In  a  well-grown  and  well-fed  fish,  the  length  of  the  head  to  the 
whole  body  is  al'out  as  one  to  five  ;  and  the  length  of  the  whole  body 
to  the  breadth,  at  the  origin  of  the  first  dorsal  fin,  as  four  and  a  half 
to  one  A  line  drawn  from  the  front  teeth  to  the  posterior  curve  of 
the  gill-cover,  which  is  nearly  semicircular,  is  nearly  parallel  to  the 


102 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


lateral  line,  and  will  divide  the  body  into  two  nearly  equal  parta,  tlic 
convexity  of  tbo  back  and  belly  being  also  nearly  equal.  The  centre 
of  the  dorsal  fin  is  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  centre  of  the  length  of 
the  body  ;  and  the  second  dorsal  fin  is  equidistant  from  the  posterior 
extremity  of  the  dorsal,  and  that  of  the  caudal  fin.  The  origin  of 
the  ventral  fin  is  vertically  under  the  origin  of  the  dorsal ;  and  the 
origin  of  the  anal  equidistant  from  the  termination  of  the  ventral  and 
the  origin  of  the  caudal  fin.  The  pectoral  fin  is  about  two-thirds  the 
length  of  the  head. 

The  pectoral  fin  has  eleven  rays,  the  first  dorsal  eleven,  the  ven- 
tral eight,  the  anal  fifteen,  the  caudal  nineteen.  The  second  dorsal 
rayless  and  adipose. 

The  head  is  smooth  ;  the  body  covered  with  small  and  delicate 
scales.  Teath  on  the  vomer,  the  palatine  bones,  and  all  the  maxillary 
bones.  The  head  and  upper  part  of  the  back  are  beautifully  mottled, 
like  tortoise-shell,  with  brownish  green  and  yellow  spots ;  the  gill- 
covers  silvery,  with  yellowish  and  pink  glazings  ;  the  sides,  about  the 
lateral  lino,  lustrous  metallic  bluish  gray,  with  large  yellow  spots  more 
brilliant  than  on  the  back.  A  double  row  of  vivid  vermillion  specks, 
irreg^ilar  in  number,  along  the  lateral  line,  above  and  below  it.  The 
sides  and  upper  portion  of  the  belly  glazed  with  bright  carmine ;  the 
belly  silvery  white  ;  the  pectoral  fins  reddish  yellow,  with  a  dusky 
anterior  margin  ;  the  ventral  fins  the  same,  with  the  margin  blacker 
and  more  definite  ;  the  anal  fin  red,  with  a  broad  white  anterior  mar- 
gin, and  a  black  lunated  streak  between  the  white  and  red  ;  the  caudal 
fin  purplish  brown  ;  the  first  dorsal  golden  yellow,  barred  and  spotted 
irregularly  with  jet-black  ;  the  second  dorsal  similar  to  the  back. 

Such,  briefly,  are  the  characteristics  and  general  appearance  of  this 
beautiful  and  interesting  fish,  which  in  every  part  of  the  world  where 
angling  is  resorted  to  as  a  sport,  and  not  merely  as  a  mode  of  obtain- 
ing subsistence,  is  the  great  object  of  the  scientific  fisherman's  pursuit. 

There  is  no  sportsman,  who  .is  actuated  by  the  true  animus  of  the 
pursuit,  who  would  not  prefer  basketing  a  few  brace  of  good  Trout,  to 
taking  a  cart-load  of  the  coarser  and  less  game  denizens  of  the 
waters ;  nor,  whether  wa  consider  his  wariness,  his  timidity,  his  ex- 
treme cunning,  the  impossibility  of  taking  him  in  fine  and  much-fished 
wat'rs,  except  with  the  slonderest  and  most  delicate  tackle  ;  his  bold- 


KALMONIDJE. 


ivoa 


ness  and  vigor  after  being  hooked,  or  his  excellence  on  the  table,  shall 
we  wonder  at  the  judgment,  much  less  dispute  it,  which,  nest  to  the 
Salmon  only,  rates  him  the  first  of  fresh-water  fishes.  The  pursuit  of 
him  leads  us  into  the  loveliest  scenery  of  the  land ;  the  season  at 
which  we  fish  for  him  is  the  most  delicious,  those  sweetest  months  of 
spring — when  they  are  not,  as  at  present,  the  coldest  and  most  odious 
of  the  year — the  very  name  and  mention  of  which  is  redolent  of  the 
breath  of  flowers,  the  violet,  the  cowslip,  and  the  celandine,  which 
plunge  us  into  a  paradise  founded  upon  the  rural  imaginings  of  the 
most  exquisite  of  England's  rural  bards,  until  we  are  recalled  from 
our  elysium  by  a  piercing  gale  from  the  north-east,  and  perhaps  a 
pelting  hail-storm,  bidding  us  crush  our  wandering  fancies,  and  teach- 
ing us  that  spring-time  is  one  of  those  pleasant  things  which  occurs 
twice  perhaps  in  a  lifetime  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  habits  of  the  Trout  have  been  already  discussed  so  fully  in  the 
earlier  part  of  this  article,  as  well  as  the  nature  of  his  food,  that  I 
shall  defer  further  mention  of  these  topics,  until  I  come,  in  the  second 
part  of  this  volume,  to  the  taking  of  him  with  the  natural  or  artificial 
bait,  which  is  most  intimately  connected  with  the  consideration  of  his 
prey  and  his  haunts,  so  that  in  that  place  these  will  be  most  suitably 
discussed. 

NoTK  TO  Retibed  Edition. — For  some  farther  particulars  as  to  the  size  of  the 
Brook  Trout,  see  Supplement.    Art.  Broi)k  Trout,  Salmo  Fontimlin. 


^y 


i04 


AMERICAN  riSHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYOIi. 


HALMONItJ.C 


VARIBI'V:   TBVITK    DK   OREVK 


THE  GREATEST  LAKE  TROUT. 


MACKINAW  SALMON NAMAYCUSH SALMON  TROUT. 


Salmo  Amethyatua ;  Mitchil,  DeKsy. — Salmo  Namaycuah ;  Pennant,  Richardson. 


% 
III 


This  noble  and  gigantic  species,  which  equals,  or  even  exceeds,  in 
size,  the  true  Salmon,  Salmo  Salar,  and  is  by  far  the  largest  of  all  the 
lacustrine  or  non-migratory  Salnwnidee^'ia  found  in  all  the  great  lakes 
to  the  northward  and  westward  of  Lake  Erie,  to  the  Fur  countries  and 
the  Arctic  region.  It  is  not  found  in  any  tidal  rivers,  and  never  visits 
the  sea.  The  Falls  of  Niagara  present  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  its 
descent  into  Lake  Ontario;  but  whether  it  exists  in  any  of  the  smaller 
lakes  of  New  York^  or  the  eastern  waters  of  New  England,  does  not 
as  yet  ap-oar  to  be  fully  ascertained.  It  has  been  taken  by  the  com- 
panions of  Dr.  Richardson  and  Sir  John  Franklin,  in  Winter  lake, 
lat.  64|°  N. ;  but  I  cannot  learn  that  it  has  been  discovered  in  any  of 
the  waters  which  discharge  themselves  southward  by  the  Mississippi 
or  the  Missouri.  I  doubt  not  at  all  that  it  exists  in  the  waters  of  the 
Great  Basin  and  the  Columbia,  and  that  it  is  one  of  the  fish  mentioned 
by  Col.  Fremont,  as  taken  in  them,  during  his  explorations.     The  name 


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•ALMONID^. 


10b 


of  Mackinaw  Salmon,  by  which  it  is  commonly  known,  is  therefore  a 
misnomer,  since  it  is  no  more  peculiar  to  the  straits  of  Michilimaokinac 
than  to  any  other  locality  between  the  Falls  of  Niagara  and  the  Arctic 
ocean.  The  term  Namaycush,  which  Pennant  adopted,  and  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson has  retained,  both  as  its  English  name  and  its  scientific  distinc- 
tion, is  no  more  than  its  denomination  by  the  Cree  Indians,  who  term  it 
Nammecoos,  and  I  confess  I  think  it  in  both  respects  preferable  to  any 
other ;  for  Dr.  Mitohil's  scientific  name  AmethyatuSy  which  he  gave  it 
in  consequence  of  a  faint  purplish  tinge  perceptible  on  the  teeth,  gums, 
and  roof  of  the  mouth,  is  founded  on  a  peculiarity  so  slight — I  speak 
on  the  authority  of  Prof.  Agassiz — as  in  many  specimens  to  be  scarcely 
distinguishable ;  while  it  has  no  name  in  the  English  language  defining 
it  from  the  Siskawitz,  inhabiting  the  same  waters,  or  from  the  common 
Lake  Trout,  Salmo  Confinh^  of  the  New  York  and  Now  England 
lakes. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  at  least  one-half  of  our  inland  or  fresh- 
water fishes  have  no  correct  English  names,  no  names  at  all  in  fact, 
but  such  arbitrary  and  erroneous  terms  as  were  applied  to  them  igno- 
rantly,  by  the  first  English  settlers  in  the  districts  in  which  they  are 
found,  and  have  been  adhered  to  since  for  lack  not  of  better y  but  of 
any  real  names.  Thus  the  peculiar  fish  of  Lake  Otsego,  though  fully 
ascertained  to  be,  and  scientifically  distinguished  as,  one  of  the  family 
SalmonidcBy  and  defined  as  Coregonus  OtsegOy  has,  to  this  day,  no  other 
appellation  in  the  vernacular  than  the  absurd  misnomer  of  Otsego 
BasSy  to  which  species  it  has  no  relation  whatsoever.  The  same  is  the 
case  with  the  fish  called  "  Trouty^^  by  the  inhabitants  of  Carolina  and 
the  neighboring  States,  which  is  mentioned  as  the  "  White  Salmon," 
by  Smith,  in  his  history  of  Virginia  ;  and  which  is  said  to  abound  in 
the  rivers  of  Pennsylvania.  This  is,  I  doubt  not,  the  fish  alluded  to  by 
a  recent  writer  in  the  ''  Spirit  of  the  Times,"  as  the  Susquehanna 
Salmon,  unless  perchance  another  nameless  fish,  the  Perca  LudopercHy 
is  intended.  The  southern  Trout  is  of  the  Pearch  family — nothing 
more  remote  from  Trout — though  in  form  it  has  some  resemblance  to 
the  SalmonidcB.  It  is  the  Gr  isles  Salmoides  of  Cuvier,  the  Lahre 
Snlmotde  of  LacSpSde,  both  terms  indicating  its  family  as  of  the 
Pearch  or  Bass,  and  its  similarity  to  the  Salmons ;  but  it  has  no 
English  name  at  all,  unless  we  adopt  the  vulgarism  of  calling  it  a 


AMKRIt'AN    riltllES. 


Trout,  wliich  is  no  Ichh  ulmurd  tliuu  it  would  bo  to  call  a  Pickerel, 
Salmon. 

These  prevalont  uiisnoinors,  und  thin  totul  absoDCo  of  real  and  ra- 
tional names,  are  of  groat  disadvantago,  oriuting  excessive  confusion, 
and  puzzling  all,  except  the  loientifio  naturalist.  It  is  much  to  be 
regretted  that  the  Indian  terms  have  not  always  been  sustained ;  for 
when  interpreted,  thoy  arc  almost  invariably  found  to  be  truly  dis- 
tinctive ;  and  it  is  greatly  to  bo  dosirud  that  on  the  discovery  of  new 
genera,  or  varieties,  tliiH  syHtum  of  nomenclature  may  bo  adopted,  as  it 
has  been  by  Prof.  AguNNiz  with  regard  to  the  Siskawitz,  a  new  lacus- 
trine Trout,  discovered  by  him  during  tho  past  summer  in  the  great 
waters  of  Huron  and  Superior. 

With  regard  to  those  misnamed  long  ago,  the  misnomers  of  which 
have  become  familiar,  and  as  it  were  stereotyped  by  the  lapse  of  time, 
it  is  difficult  to  say  what  is  to  be  done,  or  how  the  evil  is  to  be  reme- 
died ;  and  it  is  to  bo  feared  that  the  Coregonut  of  Otsego  will  remain 
the  Otsego  Bass  for  over ;  sinuo  [although  nothing  is  easier  than  to 
explain,  and  even  to  prove,  that  tho  fish  is  in  no  respect  a  Bass]  when 
he  who  has  been  accustomed  ho  to  call  it,  but  who  is  open  to  convic- 
tion, enquires  if  I  must  not  cull  him  Buss,  what  is  his  name  ?  there  is 
no  answer  to  tho  question,  but  that  ho  is  a  Caregonus  of  the  Salmon 
family. 

To  return,  however,  to  tho  Greatest  Lake  Trout,  Mackinaw  Salmon, 
or  Namaycush — it  is  also  called,  in  common  with  all  the  other  large 
Lake  Trout,  Salmon  Trout ;  but  this  is  too  absurd  even  to  be  admitted 
as  a  provincial  synonymo,  sinofl  tho  Salmon  Trout  is  a  Sea  Trout,  and 
is  moreover  found  on  tho  eastern  shorc^s  of  this  continent.  This  is  pro- 
bably the  largest  of  tho  Salmon  family  in  tho  known  world ;  hence,  I 
have  ventured  on  my  own  authority,  to  designate  him  as  the  Greatest 
Lake  Trout,  in  order  to  distinguish  him  not  only  from  the  Siskawitz 
and  the  Salmo  Confinis  of  Do  Kay,  but  also  from  the  common  Trout, 
Salmo  Fontinalis,  whcsn  taken  of  large  size  in  the  small  inland  lakes. 

The  average  weight  of  this  nicmstrous  fish  in  Lake  Huron  is  stated  by 
the  fishermen  to  bo  seventeen  pounds,  but  they  arc  constantly  taken  of 
forty  pounds  weight,  and  not  at  all  unfroquently  of  sixty  or  seventy. 

It  is  stated  by  Dr.  Mitchil,  tliat  at  Michilimackinac,  they  have 
been  known  to   attain   tho   enormous  weight  of  one  hundred   and 


. 


F 


;fN 


BAt.MONIDiK. 


107 


twonty  pounds,  with  which  f  ho  dimensiona  of  the  same  fish  as  described 
by  La  llontaa,  in  hiM  Mem.  de  l^ Amer ique,  would  seom  to  agree — "  Le$ 
plus  grosses  TriiiteSy^^  says  ho,  "  des  lacs  out  cinq  pieds  et  dtmi  de  lon- 
gueur et  im  pied  dv  'flametre''^ — but  at  the  present  day,  spocimena  of 
this  gigantic  magnitude  ure  never  seen,  and  seventy  pounds  may  bo 
taken  as  the  limit  of  their  ordinary  growth.  Even  this,  however,  is  a 
size  to  which  the  Sea  Salmon  has  scarcely  been  known  to  attain. 

It  is  a  bold,  powerful  and  tyrannical  fish,  with  which  no  other  in- 
habiting the  same  waters  can  compete.  The  Gray  Sucking  Carp,  Ca- 
tastomus  Iludsonius,  the  Mothy,  a  species  of  fresh-water  Ling,  Lota 
Maculosa,  and  the  Horring-salmon,  Coregonus  Artedij  form  the 
favorite  food  of  this  voracious  fish,  the  stomach  of  which  is  constantly 
found  crammed  with  them  almost  to  repletion  ;  but  he  will  bite  raven- 
ously and  fiercely  at  almost  anything,  from  a  small  fish  or  a  piece  of 
pork,  to  a  red  rag  or  a  bit  of  bright  of  tin,  made  to  play  rapidly  through 
the  water. 

In  form,  he  considerably  resembles  tha  common  Salmon,  thoui^h  he 
is  perhaps  rather  deeper  in  proportion  to  his  length.  His  head  is  neat, 
small,  and  well-formed,  with  rather  a  peculiar  depression  above  the 
eye,  and  the  snout  sharply  curved  and  beak-like.  The  head  forms 
nearly  a  fourth-part  of  the  whole  length  of  the  fish  ;  the  skull  is  more 
bony  than  that  of  the  common  Salmon,  the  snout  not  cartilaginous, 
but  formed  of  solid  bone ;  the  jaws  are  very  strong,  the  upper  over- 
lapping by  about  half  an  inch  the  lower,  which  is  strongly  articulated 
to  the  prooperculura  and  to  the  jugal  bone.  The  eye  is  midway 
between  the  snout  and  the  nape,  and  twice  as  far  from  the  hinder  edge 
of  the  gill-cover  as  from  the  tip  of  the  snout. 

Of  the  gill-covers,  the  preoperculum  is  curved  and  vertical,  or 
nearly  so  ;  the  suboperculum  is  deeper  than  in  the  other  Trouts,  and 
is  jointed  at  its  inner  angle  to  the  operculum  and  preoperculum  by  a 
slender  process  concealed  by  these  bones.  Its  edge  forms  fully  one 
half  of  the  border  of  the  free  gill-cover,  and  is  finely  grooved.  The 
gill-rays  are  twelve  in  number. 

The  dental  system  of  the  Mackinaw  Salmon  is  very  complete,  and 
more  formidable  than  in  any  other  member  of  the  family.  The  inter- 
maxillarics  and  labials,  as  well  as  the  palatine  bones,  lower  jaws  and 
tongue,  are  arm  ^d  with  very  sharp  and  strong  conical  curved  teeth  ; 


Wki 


108 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


those  on  the  vomer  consisting  of  a  circular  cluster  on  the  knob  of  that 
bone,  aud  of  a  doable  row  extending  at  least  half  an  inch  backward. 

The  dorsal  fin  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  the  fish,  and  contains 
fourteen  rays,  the  eighth  ray  being  exactly  central  between  the  snout 
and  the  tip  of  the  central  caudal  fin-ray.  The  second  adipose  dor- 
sal fin  is  small  and  obtusely  formed.  The  caudal  fin  has  nineteen, 
the  ventrals  each  nine,  the  anal  eleven,  and  the  pectorals  each  four- 
teen rays.  The  origin  of  the  ventral  fins  is  slightly  posterior  to  the 
centre  of  the  fish. 

Such  are  the  principal  structural  distinctions  of  this  noble  fish,  and 
I  have  entered  into  these  rather  at  length,  since  by  them  only  can  he 
be  distinguished  from  his  lake  congeners.  I  have  already  observed  the 
great  differences  existing  in  point  of  color  and  markings  between  fish 
of  the  same  species  found  in  different  waters,  throughout  this  family, 
and  endeavored  to  show  the  impropriety  of  founding  specific  distinc- 
tions, or  even  permanent  varieties,  by  reference  to  these  alone,  without 
reference  to  structure.  In  the  Salmo  FoniinaliSy  common  Brook 
Trrut,  this  is  easy  to  be  noticed,  but  in  none  of  the  Salmonidce  with 
which  I  am  acquainted  are  the  differences  of  color  and  marking  so 
broad  and  distinct  as  in  different  individuals  of  this  species.  I  have 
before  me,  as  I  write,  three  colored  representations  of  this  same  fish, 
two  water-color  sketches,  by  Mr.  Cabot,  of  Boston,  and  one,  a  colored 
lithograph,  in  Dr.  Richardson's  Fauna  Boreali- Americana ;  and  these 
three  I  am  certain  would  be  pronounced  by  nine  persons  out  of  ten 
not  accustomed  to  observe  structural  differences,  three  different  fish. 
Indeed,  I  am  informed  by  Prof.  Agassiz,  that  by  the  French  residents 
on  lakes  Huron  and  Superior,  they  are  actually  believed  to  be  three 
distinct  fish,  and  are  known  by  throe  different  names,  from  the  locali- 
tias  in  which  they  are  found,  viz.  : — Truite  des  BatiureSy  Trout  of  the 
rocky  shallows — Truite  de  Grhve^  Trout  of  the  muddy  shoals — and 
Truite  du  Large,  Trout  of  the  deep  open  waters.  The  first  of  these 
fish  is  represented  in  the  large  plate  facing  this  paper,  and  the  second 
in  the  cut  at  the  head  of  page  104.  The  third  is  thus  described  in  Dr. 
Richardson's  work  named  above  : — "  The  head,  back  and  sides  have 
a  dark  greenish  gray  color,  which  when  examined  closely  is  resolved 
into  small  roundish  yellowish  gray  spots  on  a  bluish  gray  ground, 
which  covers  less  space  than  the  spots ;  the  latter  are  most  evident  on 


II  i| 


SALMONIOiE. 


109 


the  sidt'S,  each  of  them  including  three  or  four  scales.  Tha  un- 
covered portion  of  each  scale  is  roundish,  and  its  convex  centre, 
having  a  grayish  hue  and  silveiy  lustre,  is  surrounded  by  a  dark 
border  of  minute  spots,  which  are  deficient  or  less  numerous  on  the 
yellowish  gray  spots,  and  also  on  the  bluish  white  belly.  The  dorsal 
and  caudal  fins  have  the  greenish  gray  tint  of  the  back,  and  the  ven- 
trals  and  anals  are  muddy  orange  ;  this  color  also  partially  tinging  the 
pectorals.     The  irides  are  bright  honey  yellow  with  blue  clouds." 

I  will  merely  add  to  this,  that  in  the  colored  lithograph,  which  is 
beautifully  executed,  the  fish  has  a  bright,  clean,  silvery  appearance, 
with  a  prevalence  of  bluish  gray  hue,  and  a  silvery  belly,  precisely  in 
accordance  with  a  description  given  to  me  by  Prof.  Agassiz,  of  the 
Truite  du  Large,  for  in  this  condition  I  have  never  myself  seen  the 
fish. 

In  the  drawings  by  Mr.  Cabot,  from  which  the  wood-cuts  to  this 
paper  are  taken,  and  the  correctness  of  which  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
verifying  by  personal  inspection  during  a  recent  visit  to  the  upper 
lakes,  the  Truite  des  Battures,  large  plate  facing  page  104,  is  of  a  dark 
bluish  green  on  the  back,  fading  into  a  greenish  brown  about  the  late 
ral  line,  thence  into  a  greenish  yellow  on  the  sides,  and  into  bluish 
silver  on  the  belly,  the  whole  largely  marked  with  distinct  irregularly- 
shaped  spots — flight  green  on  the  dark  back,  yellowish  on  the  brown 
green  of  the  sides,  and  silver  on  the  bluish  belly,  becoming  larger  as 
they  descend  from  the  back,  and  at  last  melting  into  the  brightness  of 
the  abdomen.  The  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  of  the  same  color  as  the 
back,  with  irregular  yellowish  green  spots,  the  latter  faintly  margined 
with  dull  red ;  the  pectorals  bluish  gray,  margined  with  the  same 
color,  and  the  ventrals  and  anals  broadly  margined  with  dusky  Ver- 
million. The  third  variety,  the  Truite  de  Greve,  is  generally  of  a 
muddy  greenish  brown,  darker  and  greener  on  the  back,  browner  on 
the  sides,  and  yellowish  gray  on  the  belly.  The  spots  in  this  variety 
are  much  smaller  than  in  that  last  described,  and  far  less  definite  both 
in  shape  and  color,  so  that  the  fish  might  be  said  to  be  mottled  or 
clouded,  rather  than  spotted.  The  fins  are  all  of  the  same  dull, 
dingy,  olivaceous  color,  similarly  clouded,  with  the  faintest  possible 
indication  of  a  ruddy  margin  on  the  pectorals,  ventrals,  and  anals,  but 
no  tinge  of  that  color  on  the  caudal  fin.     Both  these  varieties  I  have 


110 


AMERICAN   FISHK8. 


seen  and  compared  within  the  last  month,  recently  taken  on  Lake  Erie, 
and  I  am  informed  that  the  color  and  flavor  of  the  fish  is  a£fected,  as 
might  be  ezpect3d,  by  the  same  circumstances  which  produce  the 
difference  of  external  coloring,  the  brighter  fish  having  the  redder 
flesh  and  tho  higher  and  more  delicate  flavor. 

In  tho  deep  cold  waters  of  Lake  Huron,  all  the  fish  are  infinitely 
superior,  both  in  firmness  and  flavor,  to  those  of  the  comparatively 
shallow  and  muddy  waters  of  Lake  Erie,  so  much  so,  that  those  who 
have  been  accustomed  all  their  lives  to  the  White-Fish,  Coregonus 
Albus,  of  the  lower  lake,  speak  of  that  of  Lake  Huron  as  entirely  a 
different  fish  as  regards  its  epicurean  qualities. 

"  The  flesh  of  the  Namaycush,"  says  Dr.  Richardson,  "  is  reddish 
or  orange  colored,  being  paler  when  out  of  season.  When  in  good 
condition,  it  yields  much  oil,  and  is  very  palling  to  the  appetite  if 
simply  boiled,  but  roasting  renders  it  a  very  pleasant  article  of  diet. 
The  Canadian  voyageurs  are  fond  of  eating  it  in  a  frozen  state,  after 
scorching  it  for  a  second  or  two  over  a  quick  fire,  until  the  scales 
can  be  easily  detached,  but  not  continuing  the  application  of  the  heat 
long  enough  to  thaw  the  interior.  The  stomach  when  boiled  is  a 
favorite  morsel  with  the  same  people." 

Although  I  have  seen  this  fish  at  almost  every  saason  of  the  year, 
the  flesh  of  none  has  exceeded  what  I  should  call  a  dull,  huffish  flesh- 
color,  not  approaching  to  what,  on  the  most  liberal  construction,  could 
be  termed  red  or  orange  color.  It  is  in  my  opinion  a  coarse,  bad 
fish  on  the  table,  at  once  rank  and  vapid,  if  such  a  combination  can 
be  imagined,  and  it  is  decidedly  the  worst  of  the  large  lacustrine 
Trouts,  few  of  which  in  either  hemisphere  are  either  delicate  or 
high-flavored.  I  doubt  not,  however,  that  when  fresh  out  of  the  water, 
in  the  cold  deep  lakes  of  Huron  and  Superior,  crimped  and  broiled 
or  roasted,  it  is  far  better  than  could  be  supposed  by  one  who  has 
eaten  it  only  after  being  many  hours  out  of  its  native  element. 

In  no  respect,  however,  must  we  regard  the  opinions  of  sportsmen 
more  cu7h  grano  than  in  their  appreciation  of  the  qualities  of  fish,  fl'  sh 
or  fowl  in  an  epicurean  point  of  view.  Thoy  are  apt  to  be  very  hungry 
when  they  eat,  and  who  does  not  know  the  effect  of  the  Spartan  sauce 
on  the  palatablcness  of  the  plainest  viands  ?  and  again,  theii'  tastes  are 
simplified  by  the  absence  of  stimulants  of  every  kind. 


8AI.M0NID.T:. 


Ill 


The  habits  of  the  Mackinaw  Salmon  are  siiuilar  to  those  of  most  of 
the  non -migratory  Lake  Trout ;  th^y  aflfjct  and  prefer  the  daep  watara 
at  most  seasons  of  the  year,  and  lie  at  a  great  dapth  benaath  tho  sur- 
face, lu  the  spring  of  tho  year,  however,  they  approach  the  shores, 
and  are  found  in  the  shallow  waters,  whither,  it  is  supposed,  they  pur 
sue  the  various  kinds  of  fish  on  which  they  prey,  which  resort  thithor 
in  search  of  larvae  of  various  insects.  They  do  not  enter  the  rivers  to 
spawn,  but  approach  the  shores  for  that  purpose  in  autumn,  dspositing 
their  ova  on  the  gravelly  shoals,  and  then  retiring  again  into  the  depths. 
In  Lake  Huron  they  begin  to  spawn  about  the  tenth  of  October,  and 
return  to  the  centre  of  the  lake  within  three  months  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  movement.  The  young  fry  of  this  fish  has  been 
examined  by  Professor  Agassiz,  and  found  to  posssss  the  same  lateral 
bands  or  markings  which  were  formerly  believed  to  be  peculiar  to  the 
Parr  alone,  but  which  are  in  all  probability,  common  to  every  speciea 
of  the  family  of  Salmonidce. 

During  its  stay,  at  the  spawning  season,  in  the  shallow  channels 
between  the  innumerable  islands,  the  Namaycush  is  speared  by  torch 
light  in  great  quantities  by  the  Indians — a  cruel  and  wasteful  devasta- 
tion, which,  though  it  cannot  be  wondered  at  in  the  untutored  savage, 
cannot  be  reprehended  too  severely  when  practised,  as  it  is  universally, 
by  the  civilizad  white  man,  for  purposes  of  reckless  sport  or  illicit  and 
dishonorable  gain.  In  the  fur  countries  they  are  sometimes  taken  in 
the  autumn  with  nets ;  but  the  season  when  it  is  captured  in  the 
greatest  abundance  is  in  the  months  of  March  and  April,  during  which 
it  is  taken  by  thousands  on  cod-hooks,  baited  with  small  fish  set  in 
holes  cut  through  the  ice,  in  eight  or  nine  fathoms  water.  It  will  not 
be  amiss  here  to  state  that  when  the  ice  is  formed  of  snow  partially 
melted  and  recongealed.  so  as  to  be  opaqu"!,  presenting  an  appear- 
ance like  that  of  ground  glass,  neither  tliis  nor  any  other  of  the  Trout 
family  will  take  the  bait. 

During  the  mid-summer  and  mid-winter  months  the  Mackinaw 
Salmon  is  rarely  seen  or  captured,  as  during  those  seasons  it  lios  in 
the  daepe?*.  waters  in  the  centre  of  the  groat  lakes,  so  that  it  can  be 
fished  for  only  with  a  drop-line  and  heavy  plummet  at  an  extraordi- 
nary depth,  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  practised  in  deep-sea  fishing. 


I  I 


"    if'^Miil 


\\2 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


AUOOMINAL 
MAI.AC0PT'3IlV(;il. 


SALMONlDiE 


THE    SISKAWITZ. 


NORTHERN    LAKE    TROUT. 


Salino  Siakawitz  *   Agassiz. 

This  fine  fish,  which  is  second  only  in  size  to  that  last  describeii, 
was  discovered  so  recently  as  last  sumiuer,  during  a  trip  to  the  upper 
lakes  for  scientific  purposos  by  Professor  Agassiz,  to  whose  courtesy 
and  kindness  I  owe  the  power  of  including  it  in  this  work,  as  it  has  not 
up  to  this  time  been  described  or  figured  in  any  book  of  Natural  History. 
A  journal  of  that  tour  is  at  this  moment  passing  through  the  University 
press  at  Harvard,  which  will  comprise  a  full  account  of  this  and  several 
other  previously  nondescript  fishes,  together  with  accurate  and  beauti- 
ftd  lithographic  illustrations  by  Sonrel ;  and  to  this  for  fuller  informa- 
tion, and  especially  for  accounts  of  several  species  which  do  not  come 
within  the  limits  of  this  work,  I  refer  my  readers,  certain  that  they 
will  uerive  both  pleasure  and  profit  from  the  perusal. 

The  Siskawitz  in  its  coloring  and  general  appearance,  as  regarded 
by  an  uninstructed  eye,  bears  a  very  considerable  resemblance  to  the 
Mackinaw  Salmon,  or  Namaycush,  particularly  to  that  accidental 
variety  of  it  which  I  have  described  above  as  the  Truite  de  Greve ; 
and  is  found  in  the  same  waters  with  it,  most  abundantly  in  Lake 
Superior,  a  few  in  Lake  Huron  near  the  Sault  St.  Marie,  but  none  in 
St.  Clair,  Erie,  or  Ontario.  And,  it  is  believed,  in  the  smaller  inland 
waters  of  New  York  and  the  Eastern  States,  it  is  unknown. 

The  head,  back  and  sides  of  the  Siskawitz,  above  the  lateral 
line,  are  of  dingy  brownish  olive,  with  a  greener  gloss  on  the  upper 
parts,  irregularly  blotched  and  clouded,  rather  than  spotted,  with 
lighter  circular  or  oval  patches  of  the  same  color.     Below  the  lateral 

more  yellow,  with  clusters  of  the  same  spots 


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SALMON'!  DiG. 


113 


fading  into  a  doll  dead  white,  which  is  the  prevailing  hue  of  the  belly, 
with  a  very  slight  silvery  gloss  on  some  of  the  scales. 

The  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  are  of  the  same  greenish  brown  with  the 
back,  and  like  it  are  irregularly  patched  with  lighter  spots.  The  pec- 
toral, ventral  and  anal  fins  are  paler,  but  with  the  same  markings,  and 
with  a  very  faint  indication  of  dusky  red  on  the  margins 

Altogether,  the  Siskawitz  is  a  greener  colored  and  less  lustrous  fish 
than  the  Namaycush,  and  far  less  distinctly  spotted  ;  still  there  is  so 
much  similarity,  that  by  a  person  not  accustomed  to  look  for  nicer 
and  more  permanent  structural  distinctions,  the  two  species  might  be 
very  readily  confounded. 

In  form,  the  Siskawitz  is  rather  shorter  and  stouter  than  the  Mack- 
inaw fish,  and  does  not  taper  nearly  so  much  at  either  extremity.  The 
head  particularly,  which  in  the  other  is  very  small,  neatly  shaped, 
and  depressed  toward  the  snout,  is  short,  thick,  and  very  obtusely 
rounded,  giving  a  coarse  and  clumsy  profile,  and  distinguishing  it  de- 
cidedly from  the  kindred  species.  On  the  shoulders  it  is  moderately 
broad,  with  the  sides  somewhat  compressed.  The  length  of  the  head 
is  about  one-fourth  of  the  whole  length  of  the  fish,  from  the  snout  to 
the  tips  of  the  caudal.  The  skull  is  strong  and  bony,  with  powerful 
lower  jaws.  The  porous  lines  and  foramina  of  the  bones,  seen  on  the 
heads  of  several  of  the  other  Trouts,  are  very  evident  and  distinctly 
marked  in  this,  as  are  the  radiating  processes  on  the  operculum  and 
preoperculum. 

The  preoperculum  is  considerably  rounded  and  almost  vertical ; 
the  posterior  free  margin  of  the  gill-covers  is  nearly  semicircular, 
much  less  acute  posteriorly  than  in  the  Namaycush. 

It  has  a  very  complete  and  formidable  dental  system,  all  the  max- 
illary and  palatine  bones,  as  well  as  the  lower  jaws  and  either  side  of 
the  tongue,  being  armed  with  strong,  sharp,  curved  teeth,  and  the 
vomer  provided  with  a  double  line  extending  along  the  whole  length 
backward.  The  dorsal  fin  is  situated  nearly  midway  the  whole  length 
of  the  body ;  the  posterior  dorsal  is  thicker  and  more  clumsily  shaped 
than  in  the  preceding  species.     The  caudal  fin  is  deeply  forked. 

The  number  of  rays  in  the  several  fins  I  am,  I  regret  to  say,  unable 
to  supply  at  present. 

Neither  in  coloring  nor  in  form,  therefore,  does  the  Siskawitz  equal 


•h  t. 


114 


AMERICAN    FISHES 


the  Mackinaw  Salmon  or  Natnaycush ;  it  is  in  all  respects  a  clumBier 
and  coarser  fiisb.  Its  flesh  is  of  the  same  nature,  though  much 
richer ;  and  when  salted,  it  commands  nearly  double  the  price  of  the 
Naniaycush. 

Its  habits  and  haunts  are  almost  identical  with  those  of  the  other 
species,  like  which  it  is  not  migratory  or  anadromous,  never  entering 
the  rivers  either  for  the  purpose  of  spawning  or  in  pursuit  of  food  ; 
although  it  approaches  the  shores,  and  visits  the  gravelly  shallows  of 
the  lakos  in  autumn,  in  order  to  deposit  its  ova. 

It  is  taken  by  the  French  inhabitants  and  by  the  Indian  hunters, 
with  the  torch  and  sp.nxr,  occasionally  with  the  sean,  and  also  with  the 
long  line  in  daep  water.  It  is  said  to  strike  readily  at  a  piece  of  glit- 
tering tin,  or  mothor-of-pearl,  made  to  revolve  and  glance  quickly 
through  the  water.* 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  with  good  spinning  tackle,  baited  with 
minnow,  shiners,  or  the  parr  of  the  Brook  Trout,  which  would  proba- 
bly prove  the  most  killing  of  the  three,  or  with  the  deadly  spoon,  the 
Siskawitz  might  be  angled  for  with  great  success,  and  would  afford 
good  sport,  as  it  is  a  strong  and  powerful  fish,  growing  to  twenty-five 
pounds  or  upwards,  although  its  usual  weight  does  not  exceed  fifteen 
or  sixteen  pounds. 

Neither  tliis  fish,  however,  nor  the  Naraaycush,  nor,  so  far  as  I 
know,  any  other  of  the  non-migratory  Lake  Trout,  strikes  with  the 
same  fii^rceness  and  avidity,  springing  out  of  the  water  to  take  the  bait, 
and  leaping  far  and  frequently  above  the  surface  when  hooked,  as  the 
Sea  Salmon,  the  Salmon  Trout,  or  any  of  the  anadromous  species  of 
this  highly  interesting  family.  The  motion  of  the  great  lakers  is  for 
the  most  part  confined  to  a  heavy  lumbering  rush  in  pursuit  of  the 
bait,  and  to  a  strong  dead  pull  when  endeavoring  to  escape  after  being 
struck.  They  will  bore  down  desperately  at  first  into  the  deep  water, 
but  do  not  fight  with  the  swift  energy  or  resort  to  the  cunning  arti- 


NoTE  TO  Revised  Editio.n. — From  persomil  observation,  since  writing  the  above, 
I  am  eatiefied  that  these  large  Lalie  Trout  cannot  be  anifled  for  with  success,  ex- 
cept in  very  dee|)  water,  eitlicr  witli  a  drop- line,  or  by  trolling  frnni  a  boat  wilh  a 
plummet,  and  a  cod-hook  baited  with  any  kind  of  flesh,  fish,  or  fowl.  The  former 
is  the  preferable  mode.  Tiie  Indinns  kill  them  with  the  spear,  or  with  baits  througli 
the  ice,  in  immense  numberB.  Fresii,  their  flesh  is  coarse,  oily,  rank  and  vapidt 
but  whfii  |)iu'kl  ■'!  or  Sinokf-d,  they  are  very  palutible. 


sai.monid;k. 


115 


Hces,  of  the  Salmo  Safar.  Strong  tacklo,  an  eighteen  •  «i>t  rod,  and 
a  steady  band,  will  not  fail  to  sacure  thorn,  even  with  .  *r  less  skill 
than  is  required  to  take  a  three-pounder  Brook  Trout  in  a  quick-run- 


ning river. 


I  may  add  here,  in  continuation  of  the  remarks  made  above,  under 
the  head  of  True  Salmon,  in  reference  to  the  young  fry  of  all  this 
family,  that  Professor  Agassiz  has  discovered  the  Pinks,  both  of  this 
and  the  preceding  species  in  what  may  be  called  the  Parr  form,  with 
dusky  lateral  transverse  bandings.  I  have  not  judged  it  necessary  to 
give  cuts  of  these  fry,  as  the  fact  may  be  regarded  as  thoroughly 
established,  and  as  the  other  characteristics  of  these  young  Lake 
Trout  are  so  broad  and  distinct,  that  they  could  not  be  easily  mis- 
taken either  for  the  young  of  any  other  species  or  for  a  distinct 
variety. 

The  above  descriptions,  as  well  as  the  representation  in  the  annexed 
wood-cut,  are  taken,  by  permission,  which  is  here  gratefully  acknow- 
ledged, from  a  spirited  colored  sketch  by  Mr.  Elliot  Cabot,  of  Boston, 
who  accompanied  Professor  Agassiz  on  the  tour  above-mentioned,,  and 
from  the  notes  of  that  gentleman. 

It  is  trusted  that  this  notice,  although  brief,  of  an  entirely  new 
Salmo^  will  prove  satisfactory  both  to  the  sportsman  and  to  the  natu- 
ralist ;  and  if  the  mention  of  its  peculiarities  may  induce  the  gentle 
anglers  of  this  country  to  pay  a  little  more  attention  to  the  structural 
differences  of  fishes,  so  as  to  lead  to  the  discovery  of  new  species, 
several  of  which,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  remain  still  nondescript  in 
the  unfrequented  waters  of  this  mighty  land,  some  good  will  Jiave  been 
'lone  to  the  great  cause  of  science. 


iHiTiffl 


«^ 


w 


16 


AMRWITAN   KtPHPa, 


ABnOMINAL 
MAI.ACOPTERYdU. 


BAtiminDiP.. 


THE  LAKE  TROUT. 


Salino  Conjinis;  DeKay. 

Not  having  been  enabled  this  spring  to  obtain  a  specimen  of  this 
fish,  which  I  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  do,  for  ..he  purpose  of  com- 
paring it  with  the  Siskawitz  and  Namaycush,  I  take  the  following 
account  from  the  New  York  Fauna  of  Dr.  Dc  Kay,  whose  description 
of  the  fish  is  very  complete. 

It  is  a  very  closely  cognate  species  with  the  two  last  described,  but 
I  believe  it  to  be  clearly  distinct,  which  in  the  first  instance  I  was 
disposed  to  doubt. 

"  Characteristics. — Blackish,  with  numerous  gray  spots.  Body 
robust ;  comparatively  short  in  proportion  to  its  depth  ;  caudal  fin 
with  a  sinuous  margin.     Length,  two  to  four  feet 

"  Description. — Body  stout,  thicker  and  shorter  than  the  common 
Salmon.  Length  of  the  head  to  the  total  length,  as  one  to  four  and 
ajjd  a  half  nearly.  Dorsal  outline  curved.  Scales,  small,  orbicular, 
and  minutely  striated.  Tho  lateral  line  distinctly  marked  by  a  series 
of  tubular  plates,  arising  at  the  upper  angle  of  the  opercular  opening, 
slightly  concave  until  it  passes  over  the  base  of  the  pectoral  fin,  when 


NAI.MOMD.K, 


1-7 


it  procooiLs  8trai:^l»t  to  tliu  tail.  Hi'ad  tliitt  -nod  b.^twoon  the  eyes. 
Snout  protruded,  aiid  In  a^cd  individuals  with  a  tubercular  cnlargo- 
mcut  ou  its  extrcuiity.  llyoA  largo  ;  tlio  antoru-poHtcrior  diameter 
of  the  orbits  1.5,  and  thoir  distancu  apart  2.0  ;  nostrils  contigu- 
ous, patent ;  the  anterior  vertically  oval,  the  posterior  snuiUer  and 
rounded.  Under  jaw  shortest,  and  received  into  a  cavity  of  the 
upper.  The  transverse  membrane  over  the  roof  of  the  mouth  exceed- 
ingly tough  and  thick  ;  the  numerous  curved  teeth  in  the  jaws  partly 
concealed  by  a  loose  fleshy  membrane.  Tongue,  long,  narrow  and 
thick,  with  a  series  of  teeth  along  the  central  furrow.  Many  series 
of  acute  teeth  along  the  vomer  and  on  the  palatines. 

"  The  first  dorsal  fin  with  its  upper  margin  rounded,  sub-triangular, 
arising  somewhat  nearer  the  snout  than  the  extremity  of  the  caudal 
rays,  higher  than  long,  measuring  4.5  in  lunght,  and  4.0  along  the 
base.  It  is  composed  of  fourteen  rays,  thi!  first  two  short,  and  imbed- 
ded in  the  flesh  ;  the  fourth  and  fifth  rays  longest.  The  adipose  fin 
1.0  long,  rounded  at  the  end,  searccdy  narrowed  at  the  base,  an  inch 
long,  and  placed  over  the  end  of  the  anal  fin.  Pectoral  fins  broad 
and  pointed,  five  inches  long,  and  arising  slightly  behind  a  line  drawn 
from  the  upper  posterior  angle  of  the  operclo.  It  is  composed  of 
fourteen  rays.  The  ventral  fins,  placed  nearly  under  the  centre  of 
the  dorsal  fin,  composed  of  nine  rays,  and  furnished  with  a  thick 
axillary  piatc.  Anal  fin  quadrate  ;  its  extreme  height  4.4,  and  its 
base  3.0  ;  composed  of  twelve  robust  rays.  Caudal  fin  nine  inches  in 
extent  from  tip  to  tip,  furcate,  with  a  sinuous  margin. 

^^  Color  from  a  living  specimen.  All  the  upper  portion  of  tbe  head 
and  body  bluish  black.  Sides  of  the  head,  base  of  the  first  dorsal,  of 
the  caudal  and  anal  fins,  with  numerous  rounded  crowded  irregular 
light  spots.  On  the  base  of  the  dorsal  and  caudal,  the  spots  are 
oblong  light  greenish ;  chin  browni.nh  bronze ;  pupils  black ;  iridea 
Salmon  color.     Tips  of  the  lower  fins  slightly  tinged  with  red. 

"  Length  31.3  ;  of  the  head  7.3.     Weight  fifteen  pounds. 

"  Fin  rays,  D.  14.0  ;  P.  14  ;  V.  9  ;  A.  12  ;  C.  21  a. 

"  This  is  the  well-known  Lake  Salmon,  Lake  Trout,  or  Salmon 
Trout  of  the  State  of  New  York.  Among  the  thirteen  species  or 
varieties  of  Lake  Trout,  or  Lake  Salmon,  so  beautifully  illustrated 
by  Rif^hardson,  I  cannot  find  this  species  described.     It  appears  more 


';^:'l 

m 


-mm 


118 


AMKRICAN   PIHIIKS. 


nearly  allied  by  the  figure  to  Sahno  Ilvodii,  but  iliiT^TS  in  very  impor- 
tant particulnrrt  from  tluH  Hpucii'M.  It  oucurs  in  most  of  the  northern 
lakes  of  this  State,  and  I  hiivo  iiotiuod  it  in  Silver  Lake,  Pennsyl- 
vania, adjacent  to  Drooino  County,  which,  us  far  us  I  know,  is  its 
Houthernmost  limit.  The  (Ij^ure  illustrating  this  spucios  was  from  a 
specimen  taken  at  Louis  Iwike,  in  Hamilton  County,  of  unusual  size 
and  vigor.  The  average  weight  is  (>ight  or  ten  pounds ;  but  I  have 
hoard  fishermen  speak  of  some  weighing  thirty  poimds,  and  even 
more.  There  is,  however,  sueh  a  strong  propiMisity  to  exaggeration 
in  everything  in  relation  to  acpiatiu  animals,  that  I  refrain  from  citing 
cases  dLM'ived  from  sueh  Sdin-ecs. 

"  They  fretpient  the  dtu'pi'wt  part  of  the  lake,  and  unlike  most  of 
their  congeners,  luiver  rise  to  the  fly. 

"The  fl.^sh  is  of  courso  much  prized  in  those  districts  where  no 
oceanic  fish  is  over  tasted ;  but  to  mo  it  appears  to  possess  all  the 
coarseness  of  the  Halibut  without  its  flavor." 

This,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  g(>neral  remarks  on  its  habits,  is 
all  that  Dr.  DoKuy  has  recorded  of  this  fish. 

I  cannot,  however,  proei'cd,  without  expressing  my  great  surprise 
at  Dr.  DeKay's  opinion  of  its  resemblance  to  the  Salmo  Hoodiiy 
known  also  as  the  Arctic  Charr,  tho  Mingan  river  Salmon,  and  the 
Masamacoosh  of  the  Cruu  Indians.  This  is  a  decided  long-finned 
Charr,  beautifully  colored,  of  a  rich  lake  purple,  with  numerous  bright 
golden  spots,  and  tho  red  belly  of  the  proper  Charr.  It  is,  probably, 
an  anadromous  species,  running  up  the  swift  rivers  of  tho  north,  and 
descending  to  the  salt-water  to  rc^eruit.  its  flesh  is  bright  red.  In 
shape,  again,  it  differs  entirely  from  tho  fisli  before  us,  being  tho 
lonsest  and  niost  shiuder  of  all  the  Sn/inoniflce  of  this  continent,  some- 
what  rcsombling  the  German  Hueho  in  shape. 

I  can  see  nothing  in  which  it  can  be  compared  to  any  of  the  Lake 
Trout,  and  least  of  all  fo  this,  whi(!h  is  tho  most  worthless  of  all  the 
non-migratory  species.  It  is  found  I  believe  in  Lake  Ontario,  below 
the  Falls  of  Niagara,  and  (lertainly  in  all  tho  New  England  lakes  so 
far  to  the  eastward  as  tho  State  of  Maine.  In  the  British  provinces, 
with  the  exception  of  Lakes  Meplnamagng  auu  Champlain,  I  do  not 
think  that  it  exists. 

From  a  careful  coniparison  of  the  cut  in  Dr.  DeKay's  work,  plate 


:. 


!U; 


SALMON!  DJE. 


115) 


38,  fig.  1 23,  a8  well  as  from  IiIh  doaoripticn  of  its  coloring,  I  have  do 
hesitation  in  pronouncing  it  far  more  nearly  cunncctod  with  the  Siska- 
witz  of  Prof.  Agassiz,  than  with  any  other  of  its  congeners,  although 
the  elongated  head,  the  shape  of  the  fins,  and  especially  the  lobe-like 
forniuuun  of  the  caudal,  clearly  distinguishes  it  from  this  species. 

It  is  to  bo  regretted,  however,  that  in  the  work  of  the  muguitudo 
und  importance  of  the  Now  York  Fauna  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
the  plates  should  be,  as  they  are,  so  atrociously  executed,  that  for 
matters  of  scientific  examination  they  are  all  but  useless,  while  as 
pictorial  illustrations,  they  are  below  contempt. 

Note  to  REviaED  Ebition. — See  Supplement.  Art.  Luke  Trout,  Salmo 
Conjinis.  The  quality  of  this  fish  differs  entirely  with  tiie  different  waters 
from  which  it  is  taken.  In  the  New  Engliind  waters,  it  is  generally  bud.  In 
Beneca  Luke,  and  the  Hamilton  County  waters,  unequivocally  admirable,  and 
exceeded  neither  by  iiea  Salmon  nor  Brook  Trout. 


n 


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iTu'grr:J.>-  ■  **it 


120 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MAI-ACOPTERYGII. 


S\I..\1()NH)/E. 


SALMON  TROUT. 


SEA    TROIT WUITK    TUOUT. 


Salmo  Trutta ;  Yarrel. 


This  beautiful  fish,  which  is  the  Salmon  Trout  of  the  Thames,  the 
Sea  Trout  of  Scotland,  and  the  White  Trout  of  Wales,  Devonshire, 
and  Ireland,  is  found  nowhere  on  the  continent  of  America  except 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Province  of  New  Brunswick  and  in  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence. 

It  must  on  no  account  be  confounded,  as  it  has  been  by  Dr.  Smith 
in  his  "  Fishes  of  Massachusetts,"  with  the  Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fon- 
tinalis,  when  they  run  down  and  remain  permanently  in  salt-water, 
as  they  do,  more  or  less,  along  the  whole  south  side  of  Long  Island, 
but  especially  at  Fireplace,  at  Waquoit  bay,  on  Cape  Cod,  and  pro- 
bably at  many  other  points  along  the  eastern  coast ;  for  the  fish  are 
totally  distinct,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter. 

"  It  is  distinguished,"  says  Yarrel,  "  by  the  gill-cover  being  inter- 
ri.cdiate  in  its  form  between  that  of  the  Salmon  and  the  Bull  Trout. 
The  posterior  free  margin  is  less  rounded  than  that  of  the  Salmon, 
but  more  so  than  that  of  the  Bull  Trout.     The  line  of  union  of  tho 


PI 

il 


SALMONID.I^, 


121 


operculum  with  the  suboperculum,  and  the  inferior  margin  of  the  sub- 
operculum  are  oblique,  forming  a  considerable  angle  with  the  axis  of 
the  body  of  the  fish.  The  posterior  edge  of  the  preoperculum  rounded, 
not  sinuous,  as  in  the  Bull  Trout.  The  teeth  are  more  slender  as 
well  as  more  numerous  than  in  the  Salmon  or  Bull  Trout ;  those  on 
the  vomer  extending  along  a  great  part  of  the  length,  and  indenting 
the  tongue  deeply  between  the  two  rows  of  teeth  that  are  there  placed, 
one  row  alontj  each  side.  The  tail  is  less  forked  at  the  same  age  than 
that  of  the  Salmon,  but  becomes  like  it,  square  at  the  end,  after  the 
third  year.  The  size  and  surface  of  the  tail  also  is  much  smaller 
than  that  of  the  Salmon,  from  the  shortness  of  the  caudal  rays. 

"  The  habits  of  this  species  arc  also  very  like  those  of  the  Sal- 
mon, and  the  females  are  said  to  run  up  the  rivers  before  the  males. 
Sir  William  Jardine  says :  '  In  approaching  the  entrance  of  rivers, 
or  in  seeking  out,  as  it  were,  some  one  they  preferred,  shoals  of 
this  fish  may  be  seen  coasting  the  shoals  and  headlands,  leaping  and 
sporting  in  great  numbers,  from  about  one  pound  to  three  or  four 
pounds  in  weight ;  and  in  some  of  the  smaller  bays  the  shoal  could  be 
traced  several  times  circling  it,  and  apparently  feeding.  They  enter 
every  river  and  rivulet  in  immense  numbers,  and  when  fishing  for 
Salmon,  are  annoying  for  their  quantity.  The  food  of  those  taken 
with  the  rod  in  the  estuaries  appeared  very  indiscriminate ;  occasion- 
ally the  remains  of  some  small  fish,  which  were  too  much  digested 
to  be  discriminated ;  sometimes  flies,  beetles,  or  other  insects,  which 
the  wind  or  tide  had  carried  out ;  but  the  most  general  food  seemed 
to  be  the  Talitris  Locusta,  or  common  sand-hopper,  witli  which  some 
of  their  stomachs  were  completely  crammed.' 

"  The  largest  adult  fish  of  this  species  I  have  ever  seen,"  Mr. 
Yarrel  adds,  "  was  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Groves,  the  fishmonger  in 
Bond-street.  This  specimen,  which  occurred  in  June,  1831,  was  a 
female,  in  very  fine  condition,  and  weighed  seventeen  pounds." 

Never  having  myself  seen  this  fish  in  America,  although  perfectly 
familiar  with  it  in  Great  Britain,  but  having  good  reason  for  being 
sure  that  it  existed  in  the  great  estuary  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  in  the 
bays  of  Gaspe  and  Chaleurs,  I  wrote,  so  soon  as  I  decided  on  the 
prt'paration  of  this  work,  to  a  friend,  Mr.  Perloy,  in  New  Brunswick, 
Her  Majesty's  emigration  officer  at  St.  John,  knowing  that  I  mi'rlit 


i'  Mi^€ 


1;,  ry,  .  .» ,  .ra 


122 


AMERICAN   KI8HKS. 


rely  as  well  on  his  kindness  in  supplying  me  with  any  information  he 
might  possess  on  the  subject,  as  on  his  skill  and  thoroughness  as  a 
sportsman  and  fly-fisher,  and  his  science  as  an  icthyologist. 

He  obligingly  replied  to  me  at  length,  beside  sending  me  a  highly 
valuable  report  on  the  Fisheries  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  fully 
coulirming  my  opinion  of  the  existence  of  this  noble  and  sporting  fish 
in  the  Province. 

Without  farther  comment  I  proceed  to  lay  his  observations  before 
my  readers,  premising  only,  that  while  they  fully  prove  the  identity 
of  the  New  Brunswick  White  Trout  with  the  Salmon  Trout  of  Yarrel, 
Salmo  TruUa,  and  distinguish  it  from  the  Brook  Trout,  whether  Eng- 
lish or  American,  Salmo  Fa>-io,  or  Salmo  Fontinalis,  they  show  some 
remarkable  differences  in  habit  from  the  same  fish  in  the  British  Islands. 

"  You  will  perceive,"  says  Mr.  Perley,  "  that,  under  official  orders, 
I  have  been  compelled  to  go  into  natural  history  ;  and  that  you  may 
see  the  whole,  I  send  some  reports  printed  in  1847,  including  one  on 
the  Forest  Trees  of  New  Brunswick.  I  procured  the  second  edition 
of  Yarrel,  when  in  London  last  year,  and  the  beautiful  supplement 
containiUj^  the  plates  of  the  Salmon,  from  the  little  Parr  up  to  the 
grilse  of  two  years,  all  of  which  I  have  been  compelled  to  study. 

"  The  White  Trout  of  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  is  precisely  simi- 
lar to  the  Salvio  Trutta  of  Yarrel.  The  drawing  of  Vol.  IL,  p.  77, 
second  edition,  is  a  very  good  representation  of  our  White  Trout.  In 
June,  when  in  the  finest  condition,  they  are  somewhat  deeper  than 
there  represented  " — the  cut  at  the  head  of  this  paper  is  a  fac  similie 
of  the  plate  in  Yarrel  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Perley — "  the  shoulder  is 
then  exceedingly  thick  ;  the  head,  especially  in  the  female,  is  very 
email.  I  never  heard  of  any  weighing  more  than  seven  pounds.  I 
have  never  seen  a  White  Trout  on  this  side  of  the  province,  or  any- 
where except  within  the  gulf.  They  are  of  delicious  finvor  when  new- 
ly caught,  the  white  curds  lying  thick  between  the  bright  pink  flakes  ; 
and  they  do  not  cloy  like  the  Salmon. 

"  JNIany  of  the  common  Trout,  Salmo  Farlo''^ — Fontinalis  ? — 
"  also  visit  the  mixed  water  of  the  estuaries,  and  very  likely  go  out  to 
sea.  They  then  acquire  a  peculiar  silvery  brilliancy,  and  their  con- 
dition boeomos  greatly  improved  ;  but  they  cannot  be  mistaken,  even 
then,  for  the  White  Trout.     They  are  a  longer  fish — their  heads  are 


n 


SALMONIDiE. 


123 


larger — the  color  of  the  spots  is  more  brilliant,  and  there  are  more  of 
them  ;  and  the  tri-colored  fins  leave  no  room  for  doubt,  as  the  fins  of 
the  White  Trout  are  very  pale,  and  of  a  bluish  white.  When  first 
lifted  from  the  sea,  the  backs  of  the  White  Trout  are  of  a  bluish 
green,  just  the  color  of  the  wave  ;  and  the  under  part  of  the  fish 
sparkles  like  molten  silver." 

In  a  report  of  the  fly-fishing  of  the  Province,  which  Mr.  Perley 
was  good  enough  to  enclose,  I  find  also  the  following  pertinent  remarks 
on  this  fish  : 

"  It  is  to  be  understood,"  he  says,  "  that  the  whole  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  abounds  with  White  Trout,  from  one  to  seven  pounds  in 
weight.  They  proceed  up  the  rivers  as  far  as  the  head  of  the  tide  in 
each,  but  they  never  ascend  into  the  purely  fresh  water.  In  the  salt- 
water they  are  caught  only  with  the  '  Prince  Edward's  Island  fly,'  so 
called,  the  body  of  which  is  of  scarlet  with  gold  tinsel,  or  of  gold 
tinsel  only,  with  four  wings  from  feathers  of  the  scarlet  ibis — the 
curry-curry  '  of  South  America. 

"  In  the  estuaries  of  rivers  where  the  water  is  only  brackish  they 
take  the  Irish  lake-fly  with  gay  colors ;  the  scarlet  ibis  seems  the  most 
attractive,  however,  in  all  cases.  In  the  fresh-water  the  Trout  are 
quite  dififerent ;  they  are  much  longer,  very  brilliantly  colored,  with 
tri-colored  tins  of  black,  white  and  scarlet,  and  numerous  bright  spots 
over  the  body.  When  the  fish  are  in  good  condition  these  spots  are 
nearly  as  large  as  a  silver  penny.  They  rarely  exceed  three  pounds 
in  weight,  but  are  a  very  sporting  fish  ;  they  take  most  of  the  Irish 
flies,  but  the  red  hackle  in  all  its  varieties  is  the  favorite.  A  brilliant 
hackle,  over  a  yellow  or  fiery  brown  body,  kills  everywhere,  all  the 
season  through. 

"  The  Sea-Trout  fishing,  in  the  bays  and  harbors  of  '  Prince  Ed- 
ward's Island,'  especially  in  June,  when  the  fish  first  rush  in  from  the 
gulf,  is  really  magnificent ;  they  averaire  from  three  to  five  pounds 
each.  I  found  the  best  fishing  at  St.  Peter's  bay,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  island,  about  twenty-eight  miles  from  Charlotte's  town.  I  there 
killed  in  one  morning  sixteen  Trout,  which  weighed  eighty  pounds. 

"  In  the  bays,  and  along  the  coasts  of  the  island,  they  are  taken  with 
the  scarlet  fly,  from  a  boat  under  easy  sail,  with  a  '  mackerel  breeze,' 
and  oftentimes  a  heavy  '  ground  swell.'     The  fly  skips  from  wave  to 


'(i!ir 


r.  :;'fn'w 


>'1 
■r 


lilt'.*'   vki.* 
■■■!  '■vi.fLii.^ 


.„^..„,.  k: 


•I 


IM 


124 


AMERICAN    FISHES 


wave  at  the  end  of  thirty  yards  of  line,  and  there  should  be  at  least 
seventy  yards  more  on  the  reel.  It  is  splendid  sport !  as  a  strong  fish 
will  make  sometimes  a  long  run,  and  give  a  good  chase  down  the 
wind." 

This  clear,  able  and  sportsmanlike  account  of  this  fine  fish  perfect- 
ly establishes  the  fact  of  its  existence  as  a  distinct  species,  intermediate 
between  the  true  Salmon,  Salmo  Solar ,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
Brook  Trout,  Salmo  Fontinalis,  on  the  other.  And  it  must  on  no  ac- 
count be  confounded  with  the  non-migratory  Lake  Trouts,  which  have 
been  just  described,  and  which  are  sometimes  erroneously  and  absurdly 
called  Salmon  Trout.  They  never  quit  the  purely  fresh-water — these 
never  leave  it.     These  are  anadromous,  those  stationary. 

Those  are  a  worthless  fish,  both  to  the  sportsman  and  the  epicure, 
comparatively  speaking  ;  these  are  in  all  respects  the  most  valuable 
of  the  species,  with  the  exception  only  of  the  true  Salmon  ;  and  nei- 
ther in  excellence  of  flavor  nor  in  sporting  qualifications  do  they  fall 
behind  even  him,  although  they  are  far  inferior  in  weight  and  size. 

Mr.  Yarrel  states  that  the  length  of  the  head  in  this  fish  is  as  one 
to  four  to  the  length  of  the  whole  body,  and  the  depth  of  the  body  to 
the  length  the  same.  The  teeth,  small  and  numerous,  occupying  five 
rows  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  mouth,  those  of  the  central  row,  on 
the  vomer,  extending  some  distance  along  it,  the  points  turning  alter- 
nately to  each  side,  one  row  on  each  side  of  the  under  jaw,  and  three 
or  four  teeth  on  each  side  of  the  tongue,  strong,  sharp,  and  curving 
backwa  Is,  well  calculated  to  secure  a  living  prey,  or  convey  food  to- 
wards the  pharynx. 

The  dorsal  fin-rays  are  twelve  in  number,  the  pectoral  thirteen,  the 
ventral  nine,  the  anal  ten,  and  the  caudal  nineteen.  When  the  Sal- 
mon Trout  is  placed  by  the  side  of  a  Salmon,  it  is  in  comparison 
darker  in  color  in  the  body,  but  lighter  in  the  color  of  the  fins. 

It  is  with  great  satisfaction  that  I  am  enabled  to  present  this  beauti- 
ful and  gallant  fish  to  my  readers,  and  to  establish  with  certainty  its 
identity  with  the  Salmo  Trutta  of  Yarrel,  and  its  existence  in  the 
North  American  Provinces.  This  fish  has  hitherto  never  been  de- 
cribed  in  any  American  sporting  work,  nor  I  believe  in  any  work  of 
a  scientific  character,  as  an  American  species,  with  the  exception  of 
the  Parliamentary  reports  of  Mr.  Perley.     The  fish  descrilxsd  as  tho 


;,  jii 


SALMONIDiE. 


12a 


Salmo  Trutta  in  the  American  Angler's  Guide,  and  in  Smith  s  Fishes 
of  Massachusetts,  is,  as  I  have  already  observed,  nothing  resembling 
it,  but  the  very  Brook  Trout  described  above,  with  the  tri-colored  fin, 
improved  by  a  visit  to  salt-water. 

I  may  here  observe,  en-passant^  that  my  distinguished  friend,  Mr. 
Agassiz,  was  not  aware,  a  few  months  since,  of  the  existence  of  this 
fish  as  an  American  species. 

It  cannot  fail  to  prove  a  great  acquisition  to  the  list  of  the  American 
angler,  as  there  is  no  bolder  or  better  fish,  and  its  haunts  are  of  no 
difficult  access.  I  learn  that  an  English  yacht  is  already  fitting  out, 
in  order  to  take  the  field  against  the  Sea  Trout  in  the  gulf  this  very 
summer  ;  and  I  doubt  not  that  ere  long  some  of  our  New  York  clip- 
pers will  spread  their  wings  in  emulation  of  their  brothers  of  the  angle 
from  the  eastern  side  of  the  broad  Atlantic.  I  can  conceive  no  more 
dolightful  trip,  no  more  exciting  rivalry. 


y 


i<:j 


Note  to  Revised  Edition. — Mr.  Perley  writes  me,  under  date  of  October  19, 
that  during  a  recent  visit  to  the  bay  of  Gaspe,  he  has  ascertained  that  the  Salmon 
Trout  pursue  the  Smelts  into  the  rivers  and  harbors,  and  return  to  the  sea  as  soou 
as  the  Smelt  ascend  the  brooks.  It  appears  that  they  do  not  spawn  or  breed  in 
America. 


^«:- 


SS?~T 


126 


AMERICAN   I'ISIIKS. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYOIl. 


fALMONlDiT;. 


THE  MASAMACUSH. 


hood's  charb. 


Salmo  Hoodii ;    Richardson. 


This  beautiful  fish  is  given  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Richardson,  by 
whom  it  appears  to  have  been  first  described,  although  discovered  by 
Lieutenant  Hood,  in  Pine  Island  lake,  latitude  54°. 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  this  fish  should  have  so  long  re- 
mained unknown,  as  it  is  stated  by  its  describer  "  to  be  common  in 
every  lake  and  river  from  Canada  to  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
continent."  Whether  this  includes  the  great  lakes  above  theFallsof 
Niagara,  it  is  not  stated,  although  the  language  would  authorise  that 
interpretation  ;  no  distinct  mention  is  made  of  it,  however,  as  having 
been  taken  south  of  the  Mingan  river,  which  empties  into  the  estuary 
of  St.  Lawrence  somewhere  about  the  latitude  of  50°  ;  all  the  other 
specimens  described  being  taken  in  Winter  lake,  or  in  the  waters  of 
Boothia  Felix  ;  it  is  scarcely  possible,  however,  but  that  it  must  be 
found  to  the  southward  of  this  line,  to  justify  the  words  of  so  accurate 
and  correct  a  writer  as  Dr.  Richardson. 

At  all  events,  the  Mingan  river  is  in  Canada  proper,  in  the  lord- 


SALMON!  DiE. 


127 


ship  of  ^vlingan,  and  is  constantly  visited,  for  the  purpose  of  Salmon 
fishing,  by  yachting  parties  from  Quebec,  scarcely  a  year  occurring 
but  one  or  more  vessels  are  fitted  out  for  this  wild  spot,  which  is 
nearly  opposite  to  the  northern  side  of  the  inhospitable,  and  nearly 
if  not  absolutely  uninhabited  island  of  Anticosti,  the  sport  amply 
repaying  the  time  and  trouble. 

I  am  personally  acquainted  with  several  very  accomplished  Salmon 
fishers  who  are  at  home  on  those  waters,  yet  by  none  of  these  have  I 
ever  heard  any  mention  of  this  fish,  and  I  am  well  satisfied  that 
although  it  must,  I  presume,  have  been  taken  by  them  frequently,  it 
has  entirely  escaped  their  observation,  being  probably  confounded 
either  with  the  Salmon,  or  the  Salmon  Trout,  although  entirely  dis- 
tinct from  either.  It  '.s  remarkable  as  being  the  only  Charr  that  is 
found  in  the  inhabited  portions  of  the  United  States  or  Canada,  for 
although  Richardson  designates  the  common  Brook  Trout,  Salmo 
Fontinalis,  as  the  New-York  Charr ^  I  confess  I  am  at  a  loss  to  per- 
ceive any  grounds  for  so  specifying  it.  One  of  the  marked  charac- 
teristics of  the  Charr,  the  greater  con  ,  vrative  height  of  the  dorsal  fin, 
which  will  be  readily  observed  in  tht  ;ut  at  the  head  of  tnis  paper,  is 
entirely  wanting  in  the  Brook  Trout,  ^nd  although  the  vomerine  teeth 
are  disposed  in  a  cluster  in  that  species,  after  the  manner  of  the 
Charrs,  this  alone  hardly  appears  to  me  a  sufficient  reason  for  altering 
its  nomenclature. 

The  other  varieties  of  Charr,  the  Angmalook,  Salmo  JVitidus,  and 
the  long-finned  Charr,  Salmo  Alipes,  are  found  in  the  small  lakes  and 
rivers  of  Boothia  Felix,  but  as  that  far  northern  peninsula  is  utterly 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  most  determined  angler,  it  is  useless  to  give 
them  more  than  this  mere  passing  notice. 

The  Masamacush  is,  on  the  contrary,  within  easy  reach  of  all  who 
are  willing  to  travel  distances,  without  incurring  either  risk  or  fatigue, 
in  pursuit  of  their  game,  and  is  found,  moreover,  in  the  very  waters 
which  afford  the  greatest  variety  and  the  highest  attractions  to  the 
scientific  fly-fisher,  in  their  abundance  of  Salmon,  Salmon  Trout,  and 
Brook  Trout.  It  is  also  a  bold  and  daring  biter,  voraciously  seizing 
a  bait  of  sucking  carp,  pork,  doer's  heart,  or  the  belly  of  one  of  its 
own  species  affixed  upon  a  cod-hook.  "  We  took  many  at  Fort  En- 
terprise, in  Maroli,  in  gill-nets  "ic't  unilor  tlic  ice,"  says  Pr.  Richard- 


•iMlE 


>  li 


i'm 


Ifi 


U 


.  ii'i- 


^ 


-:iSf 


12S 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


son,  "  in  the  ncigliborhood  of  an  opjn  rapid  by  which  tho  waters  of 
Winter  lake  were  discharged  into  a  river  that  remained  frozen  up 
until  June.  At  that  time  tlieir  stomachs  were  filled  with  the  larvoe 
of  insects.  During  the  summer  this  fish  is  supposed  to  retire  to  tho 
depths  of  tho  lakes,  hut  it  reappears  in  smaller  numbers  in  tho 
autumn,  and  is  occasionally  taken  in  the  winter  in  nets,  but  seldom 
by  the  hook,  except  in  tho  spring.  The  spawning  season  is  in  April 
*  or  May,  judging  from  the  great  development  the  spawn  then  acquires, 
though  the  spawning  beds  are  unknown  to  us.  The  Masamacush 
attains  a  weight  of  eight  pounds,  but  begins  to  spawn  before  it  weighs 
more  than  two  or  three." 

Dr.  Richardson  does  not  state  whether  this  fish  will  take  tho  fly  or 
not,  but  as  it  is  not  the  general  habit  of  the  non-migratory  Trout  of 
the  American  lakes,  or  of  the  British  Charr,  to  do  so,  it  niay,  1  think, 
be  presumed  that  the  Masamacu.sh,  w^hero  he  exists  in  lakes,  is  to  be 
taken  by  trolling  in  deep  water  with  a  small  Trout  or  other  fish  upon 
a  heavily-weighted  hook,  with  spinning  tackle. 

Tt  is  not  distinctly  stated,  and  probably  is  not  ascertained,  whether 
this  is  an  anadromous  or  non-migratory  fish.  Tho  Charrs,  for  tho 
most  part,  are  found  only  in  tho  deepest  parts  of  tho  lakes  which  they 
inhabit,  and  rarely  enter  tho  streams  which  feed  or  drain  these  but 
for  tho  purpose  of  spawning,  when  they  seek  out  th3  clearest  and 
swiftest  rivers  running  on  gravel  bottoms. 

The  fact,  however,  that  the  Masamacush  is  taken  in  tho  Mingan 
river,  a  powerful  body  of  water  having  direct  communication  with  the 
sea,  would  go  far  to  prove  that  he  is  an  anadromous  fish  there,  at 
least,  visiting  the  sea,  and  returning  to  spawn  ;  although  it  is  very 
probable  that  like  many  of  this  family,  and  like  his  own  congener, 
the  Angmalook,  he  can  exist  indifferently  in  fresh  or  salt-water. 

Like  all  the  Charrs,  he  is  red-fleshed,  and  of  delicious  flavor.  And 
from  these  fact£,  were  it  not  that  the  Masamacush  is  said  not  to 
exceed  eight  pounds  in  weight,  I  should  be  vastly  inclined  to  suspect 
his  identity  with  the  red-fleshed  and  bright-colored  lake-fish,  which 
is  occasionally  taken  in  the  Hamilton  County  waters,  as  mentioned  by 

Note  to  Seco.nd  Editioh. — I  believe  at  prtsent,  from  my  obBervation  in  the 
Norttiern  Lakes,  thttt  it  in  of  no  use  to  attempt  to  take  any  of  the  Great  Luke  Trout 
on  Claire  with  tlie  fly  ;  and  th.it  lliey  will  rarely  hook  oven  at  a  trolled  bait.  Heavy 
lead  and  a  Ion;  drop-line  in  sixty  to  one  hiindn^d  feet  water  will  alono  fi'toli  thorn 


SALMON  I DJE. 


129 


Dr.  Bethune  in  his  beautiful  edition  of  Walton's  Angler,  at  page 
138,  in  a  note  ;  and  as  described  to  rao  by  Mr.  Webber,  the  author 
of  a  series  of  very  agreoable  letters  concerning  the  fisliing  of  that 
region,  which  were  published  in  the  columns  of  the  New  York 
Courier  and  Inquirer  during  the  past  summer. 

It  is  very  unfortunate  that,  so  far,  none  of  the  gentlemen  who  havo 
been  so  lucky  as  to  take  this  highly-colored  and  fine  fijli,  have  pos- 
sessed sufficiont  scientific  knowledge  to  examine  and  record  its  cha- 
racteristics in  such  a  manner  as  to  allow  us  to  decide  upon  its  identity 
with  any  known  species. 

The  only  thing  which  appears  to  be  certain,  is  this :  that  it  does 
not  belong  to  any  one  of  the  three  known  specios  of  the  non-migra- 
tory Lake  Trout.  As  it  is  said  to  have  been  taken  by  the  President 
of  the  Pisoco  Club,  a  gentleman  on  whose  authority  perfect  reliance 
may  be  placed,  up  to  the  great  weight  of  twenty-four  pounds,  this 
must,  in  my  opinion,  be  either  an  entirely  nondescript  fish,  or  merely 
a  Brook  Trout  of  gigantic  dimensions. 

It  is  generally  described  as  being  square-tailed,  with  two  rows  of 
red  spots,  the  vontrals  and  pectorals  deeply  tinged  Avith  vermillion, 
and  the  flesh  of  a  bright  glowing  carnation,  and  a  delicious  flavor. 
Now,  this  description  coincides  with  no  described  fish  of  North 
America,  though  nearly  agreeing  with  that  of  the  great  common 
English  Trout  of  the  Thames,  and  of  the  Irish  lakes  and  rivers. 

But  to  return  to  the  Masamacush,  as  it  is  known  to  exist  in  the 
northern  waters. 

Its  body,  as  will  be  observed  in  the  cut,  is  more  slender  than  that 
of  any  of  the  Salmonidce  heretofore  described,  and  the  head  is  about 
a  sixth  of  the  total  length.  The  lower  jaw,  when  the  mouth  is  closod, 
projects  beyond  the  upper  one  by  the  depth  of  the  chin,  and  it 
appears  longer  yet  when  the  mouth  is  open. 

The  teeth  of  the  labials,  intermaxillaries  and  lower  jaw,  are  very 
small,  short,  conical,  acute,  and  slightly  curved — on  the  palatine 
bones  there  is  a  row  of  larger  teeth  mixed  with  smaller  ones,  and  ou 
the  knob  of  the  vomer,  a  cluster  of  six  or  seven.  The  tongue  is 
armed  with  a  single  row  on  each  side,  which  meet  in  a  curve  at  the  tip ; 
there  are  also  two  or  three  scattered  teeth  on  tlie  centre  of  the 
tongue.    The  rakers  and  pharyngeal  bones  are  armed  with  short  teeth 


'  .'I't. 'la-Jp,  ■*.■■*(  ■:!  '■■■''I, 


■''■''■rii-i* 


F-v  'tr.vi";;';^!  , 


130 


AMERICAN    FlflllRS. 


like  velvet  pile.  Of  the  gill-oovers,  the  operculum  u  very  narrow, 
its  transverse  diameter  being  scarcely  half  its  height.  The  suboper- 
culum  exceeds  the  half  of  its  length  in  height. 

The  Masamacuflh  of  the  Mingan  river,  which  is  the  fish  in  its 
normal  form,  according  to  Dr.  Richardson,  from  whom  this  account 
is  abridged,  has  ten  gill-rays  on  one  side,  eleven  on  the  other  ;  dorsal 
fin-rays  twelve,  pectoral  thirteen,  ventral  eight,  anal  ten,  and  caudal 
nineteen. 

The  back  and  sides  of  this  fish  are  intermediate  between  olive 
grecu  and  clove  brown,  bestuddod  with  yellowish  gray  spots  as  big  as 
a  pea.  A  few  of  these  spots  on  the  gill-covers.  Belly  and  under 
jaw  white  ;  the  latter  dotted  thinly  with  bluish  gray. 

The  Arctic  fish  is  brighter  in  color  ;  the  back  and  sides  being 
purple,  the  spots  distinctly  yellow,  and  the  sides,  below  the  lateral 
line,  tinged  with  a  flush  of  lake. 


Before  proceeding  to  the  Grayling,  which,  though  of  this  family,  is 
not  a  proper  Salmon,  but  of  the  subgenus  TAymalluSj  I  will  observe 
that  the  opinion  which  I  hazarded  in  my  introductory  remarks  con- 
cerning the  existence  of  a  distinct  Salmon  in  Sebago  lake,  near  Port- 
land, in  Maine,  known  as  the  Sebago  Trout,  and  which  I  proposed  to 
de&ignate  as  Salmo  Sebago,  is  fully  carried  out  by  the  information 
which  I  have  received  since  writing  those  remarks,  from  a  thorough 
sportsman,  well  acquainted  with  all  the  described  species. 

He  assvu-es  me  that  the  waters  of  that  lake  did  contain  a  Salmon 
closely  resembling  the  Salmo  Salar^  but  which  has  in  all  probability 
become  extinct.  At  the  date  of  his  writing,  he  was  about  to  set  forth 
on  a  visit  to  the  lake,  and  should  a  fish  be  procurable,  I  shall  receive 
it,  although  not  in  time  to  include  it  in  the  body  of  the  work,  at  least 
in  season  to  be  embodied  in  the  appendix. 


t: 


HAI.MONIUA 


131 


AUDOMINAL 
MALACOP".  ERYGIl. 


flAl.Mt>NII)/&, 


BACK'S  GRAYLING. 


THE  ARCTIC  ORAYLINO. 


Thymallua  Signifer ;  Richardson,  Cyxv'wx.—Hewlook-powak  ;  Esquimaux.- 

8on  Bleu ;  Can.  Voy. 


-Poia- 


The  exceeding  beauty,  and  romarkaljly  game  qualities  of  this  noble 
fish,  have  induced  me  to  give  him  a  place  in  these  pages,  to  which  his 
place  of  nativity  hardly  entitles  him,  as  ho  is,  1  fear,  to  be  found  no 
where  southward  of  the  62nd  parallel  of  latitude,  between  Mackenzie's 
river  and  the  Welcome.  "  Its  highly  appropriate  Esquimaux  title," 
says  Dr.  Richardson,  from  whoso  fine  work  on  the  Fauna  of  Arctic 
America  J  have  borrowed  both  the  matter  of  this  paper  and  the  cut 
at  the  head  of  this  page,  "  denoting  '  wing-like  fin,'  alludes  to  its  mag- 
nificent dorsal ;  and  it  was  in  reference  to  the  same  feature  that  I  be- 
stowed upon  it  the  specific  appellation  of  Signifer ,  *  the  standard- 
bearer,'  intending  also  to  advert  to  the  rank  of  my  companion,  Cap- 
tain Back,  then  a  midshipman,  who  took  the  first  specimen  we  saw 
with  the  artificial  flv." 

I  may  remark  here,  that  the  European  Grayling  has  the  similar  ap- 
pellation of  Vezillifer,  or  the  "  banner-bearer,"  in  allusion  to  the  same 
feature,  although  \he  fin  is  greatly  infeiior  in  size  to  that  of  the  fish 


h:  !l 


I ; ' , 


— (I 


132 


AMKiucAN  riisiicn. 


of  which  1  imi  HpiMikiii,'^.  Thi»  iilhisioii  to  Ciiptain  Buck,  thon  a  niid- 
Hhipman,  is  foiimliMl  on  tlu*  t'lict,  that  initlshi|>iii<'ii  in  tho  British  navy, 
rank  us  ousi;^iis  in  the  iiruiy,  and  that  Frciicii  oificors  of  the  saino 
gruiiu,  ai'o  Htylud  emeignc  lU'.  vdUsMii,  in  uunscijuencu  of  tho  same 
anah)gy. 

Dr.  Uichardson  proccicds  to  ohsurvo  that  "  it  is  found  only  in  clear 
waters,  and  hocmum  to  doli^^ht  in  tho  most  rapid  part  of  mountain 
streams.  In  tho  aiitinnn  of  In  JO,  wo  ohtaini'd  many  by  ani^ling  in 
a  rapid  of  tho  Winter  rivtir,  opposite  to  Fort  I'hUerpriso.  The  sport 
was  excellent,  for  this  (Jraylin^^  f;;i>nerally  sprinj^s  entirely  out  of  water 
when  first  struck  by  tho  hook,  and  tuiis  Htron,!:;ly  at  tho  line,  requiring 
as  much  dexterity  to  land  it  safely  as  it  would  to  secure  a  Trout  of  six 
times  the  nho. 

And  this  latter  would  bi-  no  small  feat,  since  I  find  elsewhere  that 
the  fish  grows  to  five  or  six  pounds  weight,  greatly  exceeding  his  Eu- 
ropean cong.uier  iu  size,  as  hu  does  also  in  vigor  and  brilliancy  of 
coloring. 

"  Tho  characters  by  which  tho  (Jraylings  are  distinguished  from  the 
Trouts,"  jontinuey  l)i .  Iliehardson,  "  in  the  rcgue  aninuil,  are  tho 
smallni'ss  of  the  mouth,  tho  finiMKvss  of  tho  teeth,  tho  great  size  of  the 
dorsal  fin,  ami  ti»i^  largeness  of  tlio  scales.  The  stomach  is  a  very 
thick  sac ;   the  gill-rays  are  seven  or  eight  in  number." 

Tho  ( olor  of  this  beautiful  fish,  is  stated  by  the  same  author  to  be 
as  follows  :  "  Mack  <lark  ;  siiles  of  ahuo  intermediate  between  lavender 
purple  and  bluish  gray ;  belly  blaiikish  gray  with  several  irregular 
whitish  blotches.  'I'hero  are  several  (piadrangular  spots  of  Pru.'^sian 
blue,  on  the  anterior  part  of  the  body,  each  tinging  the  margin  of  four 
adjoining  scales.  The  l»ead  is  hair  brown  above,  tho  checks  and  gill- 
covers  the  same,  combined  with  purplish  tints,  and  there  is  a  blue 
mark  on  each  side  of  the  lower  jaw.  The  dorsal  fin  has  a  blackish 
gray  color,  with  some  lighter  blotches,  and  is  crossed  by  rows  of  beau- 
tiful Berlin-blue  spots ;  it  is  edged  with  light  lake-red.  The  vcntrah 
are  streaked  with  reddish  and  whitish  lines  in  the  direction  of  their 
rays. 

"  Tho  scales  are  covered  with  a  thickish  epidermis,  consequently 
having  little  lustre. 

"  Tho  body  is  compressed  with  an  elliptical  profile,  the  head,  when 


8Ar,M0NID/E. 


133 


t!io  mouth  is  hliut,  enJiii'^  acut  -ly,  but  when  vinwiKl  from  nbovi',  or  in 
front,  the  sunut  is  obtusu.  Thi;  greatest  di'ptli  of  thi;  boily  is  scarcely 
oiio-fifth  of  tho  tot:il  len<»th,  caudal  included.  I'iio  head  is  sinall, 
biiing  ono-sixth  of  tlio  total  leni^th,  oxcludinj^  the  caudal,  or  ono- 
sovonth  including  it.  Orbit  large,  distant  half  its  diameter  from  tho 
snout,  and  two  diameters  from  tho  cdgo  of  tho  gill-cover.  Nostrils 
midway  between  tho  orbit  and  the  tip  of  tho  anout.  Mouth  not  cloven 
as  far  back  as  tho  odga  of  tho  orbit.  Intermaxillaries  longer  than  in 
tho  Corenfoni,  but  overlapping  tho  articular  end  of  tho  labials  less 
than  in  the  TrtUta.  Labials,  thin  elliptical  plat;\'4,  the  posterior 
piece  lanceolate,  and  as  broad  as  the  anterior  one.  IJuili-r  jaw  toliMa- 
bly  strong  and  rounded  at  tho  tip. 

"  Tho  toetli  are  small,  sul>ulate,  pointed,  and  slightly  curved,  stand- 
ing in  a  single  series  on  tho  internmxillaries,  in  two  rows  on  tho  pala- 
tines, and  in  clusters  of  six  or  seven  on  tho  vomer.  Tho  tongue  is 
smooth,  but  tho  pharyngeal  bones,  and  cartilaginous  rakers  of  tho 
branchitd  arches  arc  rough. 

"  Of  the  gill-covers,  tho  pwoperculum  has  tho  form  of  a  wide  mo- 
derately curved  crescent.  The  subopcrculum  is  more  than  half  tho 
height  of  the  operculum,  not  exceeding  it  in  length.  Interoperculum, 
small,  and  acute-angled. 

"Tho  dorsal  fin  has  twenty-three  rays,  tho  pectorals  fifteen,  tho 
vcntrals  nine,  tho  anal  thirteen,  and  the  caudal  nin'tv-n. 

"  Although  this  exquisitely  beautiful  and  very  game  fish,  is  not,  as  I 
havo  previously  observed,  properly  speaking,  a  nati\  e  cither  of  the 
United  States  or  tho  British  provinces,  being  fuuad  only  in  the 
northern  part  of  tho  unsettled  regions  of  British  America,  and  the 
waters  flowing  from  Great  Slave  lake  into  the  Arctic  ocean,  still,  so 
wonderfully  are  the  facilities  of  travel  increasing  through  tho  West  and 
North,  and  so  great  is  the  enthusiasm  of  tho  Anglo-Norman  race  in  all' 
matters  connected  with  sporting  and  sport'tuanship,  that  it  by  no  means 
appears  to  mo  impossible  that,  before  many  years  have  elapsed,  the 
lovers  of  tho  angle,  whether  of  English  or  American  birth,  will  be 
found  casting  the  fly  in  the  glass-clear  rapids  of  the  Winter  river, 
and  the  other  waters  of  those  untamed  regions,  for  the  Arctic  Gray- 
ling, and  tho  many  beautiful  species  of  Salmon  that  are  to  be  taken 


.^1 


i. 


1 1   )  -.    ' 

1^  ,    ' 


\v 


134 


AAIEKXCAN    FISHES. 


there.  Nor  would  there,  I  believe,  be  much  more  risk  or  hardship 
attending  the  performance  of  such  a  sporting  tour,  by  a  strong  and 
well-found  party,  than  was  incurred,  not  only  without  hesitation,  but 
with  alacrity  and  enthusiasm,  by  the  sporting  gentlemen  who  crossed 
the  Mississippi,  in  pursuit  of  the  elk  and  buffalo,  at  any  time  antece- 
dent to  the  Black  Hawk  war. 

The  excitement,  the  novelty,  and,  consequently,  the  charm  of  such 
an  expedition,  would  be  indescribable ;  and  as  the  brief  summer  of 
those  regions  is  as  beautiful  as  it  is  brief,  while  the  sportsman  would  be 
brought  into  contact  with  an  entirely  new  race  of  beasts,  birds,  and  fish 
of  chase,  I  can  imagine  nothing  that  would  better  repay  the  risk  and 
enterprise  of  such  an  expedition. 

All  the  arrangements  of  such  a  tour  could  be  made  with  greatest 
ease  at  Montreal,  where  every  facility  could  be  afforded  to  the  tourists 
by  the  agents  of  the  fur  companies,  and  where  the  whole  of  the 
necessary  means  are  just  as  well  understood,  and  the  necessary  outfit 
just  as  easily  procured,  as  are  those  for  a  fishing  excursion  into  Hamil- 
ton County,  in  New  York,  or  for  a  Maine  Moose-hunt,  in  Boston. 

The  prairies  of  the  West  have  long  been  explored  as  hunting  grounds, 
by  the  sportsmen  of  the  old  as  well  as  by  the  hunters  and  the  trappers 
of  the  new  world— the  forests  and  deserts  of  Africa  have  afforded 
their  trophies  of  the  savage  trace,  the  central  wilds  of  Abyssinia  have 
surrendered  their  fierce  denizens,  the  forests  of  Ceylon,  and  the  dark 
jungles  of  the  farthest  India,  have  become  familiar  hunting  grounds  to 
the  English  sportsmen  ;  and  I  think  it  is  scarcely  to  be  doubted  that, 
before  many  years  have  elapsed,  the  Swedish  and  Norwegian  rivers 
being  already  overfished,  the  votaries  of  the  rod  and  reel  from  either 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  will  be  found  whipping  the  yet  virgin  streams  of 
the  far  Northwest. 

Political  reasons,  too,  will  have  their  weight  in  bringing  about  such 
a  consummation ;  for  the  disturbed  state  of  the  continent  is  already 
sufficiently  alarming  to  dotcr  the  pleasure-seeking  yatcher  from  visiting 
his  old  haunts  in  the  soft  and  sunny  snas  of  southern  Europe,  while  the 
stormier  seas  of  the  Western  world  offer  him  peace  at  least  and  hos- 
pitality, while  on  these  shores  lie  will  find  sport,  whether  he  affect  the 
rifle  or  the  rod,  far  superior  to  what  he  has  been  used  to  enjoy  on  the 


SALMONIDJE 


135 


Eastern  continent.  I  have  heard  of  one  yatch  al/eady  fitting  out  by 
an  enthusiastic  English  sportsman,  with  the  intant  of  visiting  this  very 
season  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  the  bays  of  Gaspe  and  Chaleurs, 
and  the  wild  shores  of  Prince  Edward's  Island  ;  and  that  good  sport  to 
his  utmost  wish  may  follow  the  adventurous  owner,  must  be  the  prayer 
of  every  generous  son  of  the  gun  or  angle. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — Since  penning  the  above,  Mr.  Parley,  of  St.  John's, 
t.o  whom  I  applied  for  information  touching  this  fish,  writes  me  that  a  brother 
fportsinan  informs  him  that  he  has  killed  them  iibimdiiitly  in  the  Miidson  Bay 
waters.     I  think  it  prob'ib'e  thit  they  may  bo  found  in  Tfahfiidor. 


__,.*i5;i 


136 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


I    / 


ABDOMIAAI- 
MALACOFJ'ERVGII. 


SAI.MONID.^: 


THE   AMERICAN    SMELT. 

Osmerus  Viridescens  ;  LeSueur,  DeKay,  A^as^iz. 

This  highly-prized  and  delicious  little  ti.sh  does  not  properly  fall 
within  the  angler's  catalogue  of  sporting  fishes,  inasmuch  as  it  is  ques- 
tionable, at  least,  whether  it  is  ever  taken  with  the  hook  ;  I  have 
heard  it  positively  asserted  that  it  has  been  captured,  both  with  the  fly 
and  with  its  own  roe,  but  I  consider  the  fact  doubtful,  to  say  no  more 
— the  fish  having  probably  been  confounded  with  the  Atherine  or 
Sand-smelt,  a  small  fish  commonly  known  in  this  country  as  the  Spar- 
ling, and  much  used  as  a  bait  fish.  This  fish,  which  a  good  doal  re- 
sembles the  true  Smelt,  both  in  appearance  and  flavor,  is  of  a  difler- 
ent  order  and  family,  being  of  the  order  Acnntkoptert/s;ii^  and  fiunily 
Mugilidcc^  bites  freely  and  readily,  and  has  probably,  as  I  obs'i-ved, 
been  mistaken  by  the  unscientific  angler. 

My  object  in  dwelling  on  this  delicate  little  fish,  is,  fiistly,  to  cor- 
rect a  vulcrar  error  which  I  find  still  prevalent  with  many  persons,  that 
the  true  Smelt  is  identical  with  the  Salmon  smolt,  and  is,  in  fact, 
the  fry  of  the  Salmon  at  the  commencement  of  his  second  year 

The  absurdity  of  this  is  sufficiently  evident  from  the  consideration 
that  the  Salmon  sraolt  is  an  immature  fish,  which  runs  down  the  rivers 
he  inlialiits  in  the  spring,  and  returns  in  tlie  autumn  a  grilse,  as  has 
been  related  above  ;  whereas  the  Smelt  enters  the  rivers  perfectly  ma- 
ture, and  full  of  spawn,  running  up  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  its 


SALMONID.K. 


137 


ova  so  soon  as,  or  even  before,  the  streams  are  clear  from  ice,  ami 
i-etmning  a  spent  fish  in  the  autumn.  It  is  a  sub-genus  of  the  genus 
Sahno,  true — but  as  distinct  from  it  as  a  Roebuck  from  an  Elk. 

My  second  object  in  devoting  a  page  or  two  to  this  little  fish,  is  to 
call  the  attention  of  scientific  men  to  the  fact  that  there  are,  in  the 
United  States,  two  distinct  species  of  this  fish :  the  Common  Ameri- 
can Smelt,  Osiiicnts  Viridescens — which  differs  from  the  European 
Smelt,  Osmerus  Uperlamis,  in  many  particulars — and  a  much  smaller 
and  more  highly  scented,  as  well  as  highly  flavored,  variety,  which  I 
believe  to  be  identical  of  the  European  fish. 

Some  years  since,  before  I  thought  of  publishing  on  this  subject,  1 
compared  this  smaller  fish  with  the  Eastern  Smelt,  Osmerus  Vh'ides- 
ccns,  of  LeSueur,  and,  although  I  have  unfortunately  lost  the  notes 
which  I  made  at  that  time,  and  forgot  the  specific  difi'erences,  except 
that  the  ventral  fin  in  the  smaller  fish  was  considerably  farther  forward 
than  in  the  common  fish,  I  am  certain  of  the  fact  that  there  were 
farther  differences  in  the  number  of  the  fin-rays,  apart  from  the  extra- 
ordinary difference  in  size,  which  could  not  fail  to  strike  the  least  ob- 
servant. 

This  smaller  fish,  so  far  as  I  know  or  have  heard,  is  never  taken  but 
in  the  Passaic  and  Raritan  rivers  ;  and  in  neither  of  these  is  the  large 
Smelt,  common  alike  to  the  Eastern  and  the  Southern  States,  ever 
seen.  I  have  observed  and  examined  many  thousands,  by  bushel  bas- 
kets-full at  a  time,  and  have  never  seen  a  fish  exceeding  seven  or  eight 
inches  in  length  taken  from  the  Passaic,  the  general  run  not  exceed- 
ing six ;  whereas  it  is  notorious  that  tiie  American  Smelt  is  rarely 
taken  less  than  ten  or  eleven,  and  thence  upward  to  twelve  and  fifteen 
inches. 

Varrel  statjs  of  the  European  Smelt,  that  they  are  occasionally 
seen  ten  and  eleven  inches  long,  but  that  this  is  an  unusually  large 
size. 

He  also  describes  their  food,  during  their  residence  in  fresh-water, 
as  consisting  of  small  fish,  with  crustaceous  and  testaceous  animals. 
In  the  Tay  they  are  said  to  feed  principally  upon  the  shrivnp ;  and  I 
have  heard  it  asserted  by  persons  of  integrity,  that  they  have  been 
caught  with  the  same  bait  near  Belleville,  on  the  Pnssaic. 

It  was  niv  full    intention  to  have   instituti^l  a  full   examination  and 


Ntf 


m 


AMERICAN  FISHES 


comparison  of  these — ^which  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  will  prove  to  bo 
two  distinct  species — this  last  spring  ;  but  unfortunately  I  was  neces- 
sarily absent  from  home  during  the  very  few  days  of  this  season  in 
which  they  were  taken  in  the  Passaic,  and  lost  the  opportunity  of 
doing  so.  The  run  of  them  is  becoming  less  and  less  numerous  every 
successive  season,  and  it  is  to  be  apprehended  that  ere  long  they  will 
cease  to  visit  us  at  all. 

I  will  remark  here  that  the  habit  of  the  European  Smelt  in  England 
is  very  capricious  in  regard  to  the  rivers  which  he  honors  with  his 
presence.  It  is  said  that  in  England  the  Smelt  is  never  taken  between 
Dover  and  Land's  End  ;  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  island  it  is  taken 
from  the  Thames  and  Medway  to  the  Tay,  and  on  the  western,  in  tha 
Solway,  and  so  far  south  only  as  the  Mersey  and  the  Dee. 

A  specific  description  of  this  well-known  little  fish  would  be  useless, 
as  I  am  unable  to  furnish  data  of  comparison  between  the  Smelt  of 
the  Raritan  and  Passaic  rivers  in  New  Jersey  and  the  Osmerus  Viri" 
descens. 

Before  proceeding  farther,  I  will  merely  observe  that  I  am  well  as- 
sured that  it  is  generally  believed  these  different  species  of  fish  cannot 
be  taken  with  the  hook,  merely  for  the  reason  that  no  one  has  ever 
attempted  so  to  take  them  ;  at  least,  with  any  bait  at  which  there  was 
the  slightest  probability  of  their  rising. 

I  know  that  the  Shad  and  the  Herring,  contrary  to  all  received 
opinion,  can  be  taken  with  the  fly  ;  and  I  have  had  great  sport  myself 
with  the  latter  fish,  off'  the  pier  of  Fort  Diamond  in  the  New  York 
Narrows,  catching  them  with  a  gaudy  peacock-fly,  as  fast  as  I  could 
throw  it  in  and  pull  them  out. 

It  would  by  no  means  surprise  me  to  find,  that,  during  the  time 
when  Smelt  run  up  our  streams,  they  may  be  taken  freely,  either  with 
a  ve  ^^  small  bright  fly,  or  with  morsels  of  shrimp  or  pellets  of  their 
own  roe,  upon  a  number-twelve  Limerick  Trout-hook,  and  thrown 
like  a  fly,  on  the  surface.*  Should  such  prove  to  be  the  case,  they 
would  afford  very  pretty  light  fishing  at  a  time  when  there  is  no  other 
sport  for  the  angler. 


*  Note  to  Rfa-isud  Edition. — On  this  [toiiit,  see  Suppleinerit.     Art.  .Xincriiuu 
Smelt 


foi 
foi 


SALMONIO^. 


ABDOMTNAL 
MAL.ACOPTERVGU 


139 


SAl.MONIDiE. 


THE  CAPELIN. 


Mallotus  Villotus ;  Cuvier. 


Of  this  beautiful  little  fish,  which  inhabits  the  northern  seas  only, 
never  coming  farther  south  than  the  shores  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New 
Brunswick,  I  am  unable  to  oflfar  any  representation  to  my  readers, 
never  having  seen  a  specimen  or  engraving. 

He  is  very  nearly  allied  to  the  Smelts,  from  which  he  differs  princi- 
pally in  the  smallness  of  his  teeth. 

He  is  stated  in  Mr.  Perley's  report  on  the  Fisheries  of  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence,  to  be  "from  four  to  seven  inches  in  length,  the  under 
jaw  longer  than  the  upper,  the  color  of  the  back  greenish,  the  under 
surface  of  the  body  silvery.  They  usually  appear  about  Miscon  and 
in  the  bay  of  Chaleur  early  in  May ;  but  sometimes  not  until  nearly 
the  end  of  that  month.  The  Cod  fishery  does  not  commence  until 
the  arrival  of  the  Capelin,  which  continues  near  the  shores  until  the 
end  of  July." 

Mr.  Perley  proceeds  to  state  that,  in  consequence  of  the  "  wanton 
destruction  of  the  proper  food  of  the  Cod — Herring  and  Capelin — 
which  arc  taken  in  immense  quantities,  not  for  immediate  eating,  or 
for  curing,  or  for  bait,  but  for  manuring  the  ground,"  the  Cod  fishery 
is  utterly  declining,  the  fisheries  going  to  waste,  and  the  establishments 
deserted  and  going  to  ruin. 

"  In  a  representation,"  he  adds,  "  made  to  the  Canadian  Legislature 
by  a  fisherman  of  Gaspc,  it  is  stated  that  this  fisherman  had  seen  five 
hundred  barrels  of  Capelin  taken  in  one  tide  expressly  for  manure ; 
and  that  he  has  also  seen  one  thousand  barrels  of  Herring  caught  at 
one  time,  and  not  taken  away,  but  left  to  rot  upon  the  beach." 

It  is  in  this  connection  that  I  have  here  enumerated  the  Capelin  ; 
for  ho  cannot  bo  taken  with  the  hook,  so  far  as  1  can  learn,  and  there- 
fore is  not  game.     But  fov  Cod  fishing,  whether  with  the  deep-sea  line, 


\ 


mm»'m 

^l^^l 

m 

^JS^f^ 

W^M 

W^ 

m 

m 

Kid 

m 

i 

140 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


or  the  bultow,  as  it  is  called,  or  set-line,  it  is  invaluable  as  a  bait. 
Whenever  it  can  bo  obtained,  no  other  should  bo  used. 

It  is  an  oxcocdingly  excellent  fish,  howevm-,  for  the  table,  possessing 
ninch  of  the  flavor  with  the  peculiar  cucumber  odor  of  the  Smelt. 

This  wanton  and  stupid  destruction  of  all  kinds  of  game,  whether 
feathered,  finned,  or  furred,  really  appears  to  be  a  distinct  character- 
istic of  all  the  white  inhabitants  of  America,  wheresoever  they  are  to 
be  found  ;  and  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  ere  long  they  will  most  bit- 
terly regret  the  consequences  of  their  rapacity  and  wasteful  folly. 

In  this  case,  the  wantonness  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  well  as  dis- 
graceful, because,  as  Mr.  Perley  well  remarks,  "  a  bountiful  Provi- 
dence has  lurnished  the  shores  with  inexhaustible  quantities  of  kcilp 
and  sea-wocfl,  and  other  valuable  manures,  which  really  enrich  the 
8  lil    w!iilv>  it  is  admitted  that  the  use  offish  greatly  deteriorates  it. 

"  The  legislatur"  of  Canada  has  been  strongly  urged  to  make  it  a 
misdemeanor,  punishable  by  fine  and  imprisonment,  foi-  any  person  to 
to  use  either  Herring  oi  Capclin  as  manure,  and  such  a  measure  would 
seem  to  be  highly  desirable  in  New  Brunswick.  To  be  elfective,  there 
should  be  similar  regulations  on  both  sides  of  the  bay  of  Chaleur." 

Doubtless  this  is  all  very  true,  but  unfortunately  the  Legislature  of 
Canada  is  much  too  busy  in  passing  bills  for  the  reward  of  notorious 
murderers  and  rebels,  and  the  opposition  to  the  ministry  much  too 
busy  in  combating  them,  and  striving  to  get  into  ofiice  again,  to  think 
of  anything  that  could  benefit  the  Province,  or  tend  to  the  good  of 
any  o\w  except  theius  dves  and  their  own  immediate  partizans. 

Their  own  bad  passions,  and  factious  partizanship,  and  no  external 
causes  whatsoever,  are  the  bane  and  curse  of  the  Canadas  ;  but,  after 
all,  I  suppose,  it  matters  mighty  little  whether  the  legislature  pass 
such  a  law  or  no  ;  for  no  human  being  that  I  ever  heard  of  in  Ame- 
rica, whether  British  or  of  the  United  States,  ever  dreamed  of  obeying 
the  game  law,  except  exactly  in  so  far  as  suited  his  own  convenience. 
So  I  presume  the  doom  of  the  Capelin,  and  ultimately  of  the  Cod,  may 
be  considered  sealed. 


) 

! 

1 

SALMONID.E. 

14] 

i 

AnnoMLN  \i. 

M.4t.ACOF]ERY(JII 


dAl.MON'.D.K 


THE    WHITE-FISH. 


ATTIHAWiMEG. 


Coregoniiii  Aihus ;  Le  Sueur,  Ciivier. 


!!:< 


1:1 


This  and  tho  succeeding  fish  are  tho  lust  two  of  the  Salmon  family, 
and  the  only  two  of  their  own  pi.'culiar  bub-genus  found  within  the 
limits  of  the  United  States  and  British  Provinces,  although  there  aie 
several  other  species  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

In  Europe  they  have  several  equivalents  which  are  generally  known 
as  Lavarets ;  of  these  are  the  well-kn()\vn  British  species,  the  Gwyniad, 
the  Veudace,  and  the  Powan,  of  England  and  Scotland,  and  the 
FoUan  of  Ireland,  all  closely  connected,  and  yet  p.nfectly  distinct  from 
the  analogous  fish  of  America. 

Here,  unfortunately,  these  fine  fish  have  no  names  at  all,  save  the 
trivial  designations  or  absurd  misnomers  given  to  them  by  the  first  rude 
settlors  of  the  regions  in  which  they  are  found. 

The  fish  of  which  we  are  now  speaking  is  probably  the  most  d  >li- 
oious  of  all  the  purely  fresh- water  varieties — for  such  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  it  is,  as  a  table  fish,  for  it  is  not  found  within  the  limits  of 
civilization,  except  in  the  lakes  above  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  which 
preclude  the  possibility  of  communication  with  the  sea.     It  is,  how- 


142 


AMERICAN  FISHEU' 


ever,  found  in  the  Coppcmiine,  the  Mackenzie,  and  other  rivers  which 
full  into  the  Arctic  sea,  and  can  "  probably  live  indifferently,"  aa  Dr, 
Richardson  observes,  "  ra  fresh  or  salt-water,  like  several  species  of 
Trutice  and  Coregoni^  that  occasionally  wander  to  the  sea,  although 
they  are  not  strictly  anadronious." 

It  is  claimed  by  the  inhabitants  of  that  portion  of  the  State  of  New 
York  that  the  finest  White-Fish  of  the  whole  western  country  are 
taken  in  Chatauquo  lake,  a  small  mountain  tarn  situated  some  hun- 
dred feet  above  Lake  Erie,  and  forming  one  of  the  sources  of  the  Alle- 
ghany river.  I  doubt  not  the  superiority  of  the  Chatauque  lake  White- 
Fish  to  the  same  species  taken  in  the  shallow,  muddy,  and  turbulent 
waters  of  Lake  Erie ;  but  I  entirely  disbelieve  in  its  being  able  to 
sustain  comparison  with  that  of  the  clear,  deep,  and  cold  waters  of 
Lake  Huron,  where  it  is  found  of  the  greatest  size,  and  in,  as  I  undo- 
stand,  the  greatest  perfection. 

"  It  is,"  says  Richardson,  "  a  rich,  fat  fish,  yet  instead  of  producing 
satiety,  it  becomes  daily  more  agreeable  to  the  palate ;  and  I  know 
from  experience,  that  though  deprived  of  bread  and  vegetables,  one 
may  live  wholly  upon  this  fish  for  months,  or  even  years,  without  tiring." 

"  In  October,"  observes  the  same  author,  "  the  Attihawmeg" — this 
is  its  appellation  among  the  Cree  Indians,  and  it  were  most  desirable 
that  in  the  absonca  of  any  correct  English  nomenclature  the  aboriginal 
names  could  be  adopted — "  quits  the  lakes,  and  enters  the  rivers  for 
the  purpose  of  spawning.  It  ascends  the  streams  in  the  night-time, 
and  returns  to  the  lake  as  soon  as  it  has  spawned.  Dr.  Todd  informed 
me  that  it  enters  the  Severn  river  from  Lake  Huron  about  the  25th  of 
October,  and  retires  to  the  depths  of  the  lake  again  by  the  10th  of 
November ;  but  that  in  some  rapid  rocky  rivers  of  that  lake,  indivi- 
duals are  taken  throughout  the  year.  A  few  spawn  in  the  summer 
It  is  a  gregarious  fish,  and  resorts  to  different  parts  of  a  lake,  accord- 
ing to  the  season  of  the  year,  its  movements  being  in  all  probability 
regulated  by  its  supply  of  food.  In  winter  the  fisheries  are  generally 
established  in  deep  water,  remote  from  the  shore  ;  toward  the  breaking 
up  of  the  ice,  they  are  moved  near  to  the  outlets  of  the  lake  ;  and  in 
the  summer  comparatively  few  Attihawmeg  arc  caught,  except  what 
are  speared  in  the  rivers.  After  the  spawning  period,  the  fall  fishery, 
as  it  is  termed,  is  more  productive  in  shallow  bays  and  on  banks  near 


8ALM0NIDJE. 


143 


the  shore.  I  was  informed  in  the  fur  countries,  that  this  fish  preys  on 
insects,  and  that  it  occasionally  though  rarely  takes  a  hook  baited  with 
a  small  piece  of  meat.  Dr.  Todd  found  fresh-water  shells  and  small 
fishes  in  the  stomachs  of  the  Lake  Huron  Attihawmeg ;  indeed  shelly 
moUuBoa — Hdix,  Planorbis,  I/ymneus,  Paludina^  &c. — appear  to  be 
a  favorite  food  of  several  Trout  and  Coregoni^  both  in  Europe  and 
America." 

The  fact  of  the  Attihawmeg  feeding  on  shell-fish  is  greatly  corrobo- 
rated by  the  circumstance  of  its  di£fering  from  all  the  other  known 
Coregoni  in  the  extraordinary  thickness  of  its  stomach,  which  resem- 
bles the  gizzard  of  a  fowl ;  the  same  being  the  case  with  the  Gillaroo 
or  shell-fish-eating  Trout  of  the  Irish  lochs ;  and,  I  have  little  doubt, 
with  the  crab-eating  Trout  of  the  Marshpee  river  in  this  country. 

To  the  excellence  of  the  White-Fish,  I  can  bear  personal  testimony 
when  on  the  table,  but  I  have  never  had  an  opportunity  of  examining 
it ;  and  I  am  indebted  for  the  description  below,  to  the  Fauna  Boreali- 
Americana,  of  the  author  I  have  already  so  often  quoted. 

I  am  informed  that  this  fish  is  occasionally  taken  by  persons  engaged 
in  trolling  for  the  Lake  Trout,  or  throwing  the  fly  for  the  Black  Bass, 
Gristes  Nigricans,  nor  can  I  at  all  doubt  that  were  his  habits  properly 
observed  and  carefully  studied  by  a  scientific  angler,  judging  from  what 
has  been  stated  above  in  relation  to  his  food,  he  might  be  taken  with 
the  hook  with  as  much  certainty  as  any  other  of  the  lake  fish,  unless, 
perhaps,  the  Black  Bass,  and  he  would  assuredly  show  great  sport  at 
the  end  of  a  long  line,  being  both  a  powerful  and  active  fish. 

The  average  weight  of  this  fish  appears  to  be  three  or  four  pounds, 
but  when  very  fat,  it  is  often  taken  up  to  seven  or  eight ;  and  in  par- 
ticular localities  it  attains  a  much  greater  size,  having  been  caught  in 
Lake  Huron  of  thirteen  or  fourteen,  and  in  Lake  Manito,  it  is  said,  of 
twenty. 

One  of  seven  pounds,  caught  in  Lake  Huron,  measured  twenty-seven 
inches  in  length. 

In  form,  the  Attihawmeg  is  very  deep  in  comparison  to  its  length  ; 
one  of  the  ordinary  size,  taken  in  Pine  Island  lake,  measuring  as  five 
to  seventeen,  exclusive  of  the  caudal  fin ;  but  when  very  fat,  its  depth 
is  as  one  to  three. 

The  body  is  compressed,  being  much  loss  thick  than  deep.     The 


My 

m 


1  '■r'*^'v'^tP^' 


I-J4 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


head  is  narrow  aboyo,  with  a  moderately  wide  fron\al  bone,  and  form- 
ing oue-fifth  of  the  length,  excluding  the  caudal. 

The  eyes  are  large,  and  situated  a  little  more  than  a  diameter  of 
the  orbit  from  the  tip  of  the  snout,  and  nearly  thrice  as  far  from  the 
edge  of  the  gill-plate.  The  nostrils  are  placed  midway  between  the 
orbit  and  the  snout.  The  snout  is  blunt  when  seen  in  front,  but  its 
profile  is  more  acute.  The  mouth  ha.s  a  small  orifice,  but  when  shut, 
its  angles  are  depressed 

The  jaws  and  tongue  are  furnished  with  a  few  teeth,  which  are  too 
minute  to  bo  readily  seen  by  the  naked  eye,  and  too  slender  to  be  very 
perceptible  to  the  finger.     The  vomer  and  palate  are  quite  smooth. 

Of  the  gill-covers,  the  prcoperculum  is  sharply  curved,  and  rather 
broad  ;  its  width,  in  the  middle,  equalling  the  height  of  the  suboper- 
culum  The  operculum  measures  one-third  more  vertically  than  it 
does  horizontally ;  while  on  the  contrary,  the  suboperculum  is  twice  as 
long  as  it  is  high.  The  interoperculura  is  triangular.  The  branchial 
arches  have  each  a  single  row  of  erect  subulate  rakers,  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  long,  and  rough  on  their  inner  surfaces.  The  pharyngeal  bones 
are  inconspicuous  and  toothless. 

The  scales  arc  largo,  irregularly  orbicular,  and  about  half  an  inch 
in  diameter,  with  a  bright  pearly  lustre. 

Color,  in  the  shade,  bluish  gray  on  the  back,  lighter  on  the  sides, 
and  white  on  the  belly,  giving  place  to  a  nacry  and  iridescent  pearly 
lustro  in  a  full  light.  Cheeks,  opercula,  and  irides,  thickly  covered 
with  nacre. 

Fins :  branchiostegous  rays  eight,  dorsal  fif'-^^n,  pectoral  sixteen, 
ventral  eleven,  anal  fifteen,  caudal  nineteen  and  b.  /en-sevenths.  Tho 
adipo33  fin  is  rather  large,  and  situated  opposite  the  termination  of  the 
anal.  Tho  caudal  is  forked,  and  spreads  widely. 

*It  is,  in  short,  a  very  beautiful  fish,  and  no  less  useful  than  it  L" 
beautiful  and  delicious,  aflfording  the  principal  subsistence  to  several 
Indian  hordes,  and  being  the  main  rel.anco  of  many  of  the  fur  posts 
for  eight  or  nine  months  of  tho  year,  the  supply  of  other  articles  of 
diet  being  scanty  and  casual. 

•  NovK  ToRiiviSKD  Edition. — For  many  further  particulars  concerning  this  no- 
ble fish,  Uee  Suppleiiient.     Art.  Atlihavriiieg. 


0ALMUN1O^ 


14ft 


ABUOMINAI. 
MALACOHTKUVOJl. 


BANMUNIUiB. 


THE  OTSEGO  BASS. 

OTSEGO    LAVARET. 
Corigonus  Otai^j;  DeKuy — Salmo  Otttgo;  Dewitt  Clinton 

Through  the  kindness  of  my  esteemed  friend,  Mr.  Cooper,  of 
Cooperstown,  I  have  had  an  opportunity,  during  this  present  spring, 
of  carefully  examining  and  dissecting  this  exceedingly  beautiful  and 
interesting  fish,  as  well  as  of  testing  its  qualities  on  the  table. 

It  is  very  closely  cognate  to  the  last-mentioned  species,  but  is 
unquestionably  distinct ;  diffuring  in  size,  form,  in  the  number  of  fin- 
rays,  slightly  in  the  gill-covers,  and  so  far  as  I  could  discover  without 
a  microscope,  entirely  in  the  dental  system. 

Although  a  deep  fish,  it  is  not  nearly  so  much  so  as  the  Attihaw- 
meg  ;  the  finest  specimen  which  I  inspsctcd  measuring  eighteen  and 
a  half  inches  in  length,  and  ten  inches  in  circumference  at  the  origin 
of  the  dorsn"  fin  ;  the  depth  at  the  same  point  was  a  fraction  under 
four  inches,  not  bning  much  loss  than  a  fifth  of  the  whole  length, 
including  the  caudal.  The  gill-covers  differed  in  form,  in  having  the 
posterior  free  margin  more  curved,  and  less  vertical,  the  operculum 
less  high  in  proportion  to  its  length,  and  the  suboperculum  more  so 


( 


III 


111 


i    Am 


146 


AMERICAN  nSHES. 


The  snout  was  sharper  and  longor,  and  the  labial  plates  shallower  in 
proportion  to  their  length. 

The  branohioBtogous  rays  wore  eight  on  one  side,  nine  on  tho 
other  ;  the  dorsal  fin-rays  thirteen,  the  pectoral  seventeen,  tho  ventral 
eleven,  the  anal  eleven,  and  tho  caudal  twenty  two 

I  examined  the  mouth  as  minutely  as  I  could  without  the  aid  of 
a  glass,  and  neither  by  my  eye  noi  my  finger  could  I  detect  tho  ves- 
tige of  a  tooth  on  the  mazillarics,  intormaxillaries,  tongue,  palate,  or 
vomer,  the  latter  parts  being  of  a  pearly  whiteness,  and  as  smooth  as 
glass. 

The  pharyngeal  bones  wore  also  toothless,  but  tho  branchial  arches 
were  armed  with  erect  rakers,  precisely  as  described  in  tho  last- 
named  species. 

The  colors  of  this  fish  wore  the  most  beautiful,  lustrous,  and  bril- 
liant, that  I  ever  wlmossod — tho  back,  of  a  rich  iridescent  blue, 
changing  to  groeuish  ;  tho  sides,  cheeks  and  gill-covers,  glittering  like 
mother-of-pearl,  and  the  belly  sparkling  like  molten  silver ;  the  fins, 
of  a  bluish  green  ;  tho  caudal  very  deeply  forked  ;  the  lateral  line 
nearly  straight. 

This  exquisite  and  beautiful  fish,  so  far  as  is  known,  is  found  only 
in  the  Otsego  lake,  tho  head  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  river  ;  but  it 
would  be  very  curious  to  compare  it  with  the  so-called  White-Fish  of 
Chatauque  lake,  a  looalo  very  similar  to  the  Otsego,  equally  cut  off 
from  communication  with  other  waters,  and  at  about  an  equal  eleva- 
tion above  tido-wator.  I  greatly  suspect  that  the  Coregoni  of  these 
two  mountain  lochs  would  prove  identical. 

The  habits  of  tho  Otsego  Lavaret  arc  but  little  known.  It  is  gre- 
garious, however,  and  rushes  in  vast  shoals,  early  in  spring,  to 
all  the  shallow  waters  and  shores  of  tho  lake,  for  a  few  days,  during 
which  he  is  taken  in  vast  numbers  ;  after  that  time,  he  retires  to  the 
coldest  depths  of  the  lakes,  and  is  seen  no  more  until  autumn,  when 
he  again  makes  his  appearance  for  the  purpose,  it  is  supposed,  of 
spawning,  although  tho  pttriod  at  which  the  ova  are  deposited  does 
not  appear  to  bo  clearly  uscttrtaincd,  nor  whether  the  spawning-beds 
are  in  the  shoal  waters  of  tho  lake,  or  at  the  mouth  of  its  feeders. 

It  is  lamentable  to  think,  thouj^'h  but  too  true,  that  through  the 
wanton  improvidence  of  tho  rarly  settlers,  who  d.Mlt  with  this  delicious 


SALMON  I D^. 


147 


fish  much  as  the  New  firunswickcrs  do  with  the  Capolin,  literally, 
I  believe,  feeding  their  hogs  with  them,  thny  have  already  visibly 
doolinod  in  magnitude,  as  well  as  decreased  in  number. 

They  were  formerly  taken,  weighing  up  to  four  pounds  ;  but  now, 
the  half  of  that  weight  is  regarded  as  an  unusually  fine  fish  The 
specimen  which  I  have  described  above  weighed  two  pounds  and 
three  ounces,  and  was  an  uncommonly  well-fed  and  delicious  fish. 

With  regard  to  their  food,  I  can  say  nothing  definitely  ;  the  stom- 
achs of  those  which  I  examined  contained  nothing  but  a  blackish, 
earthy  substance,  which  resembled  docaycd  vegetable  vaatter,  and 
some  small  fragments  of  worms,  or  larva  of  insects. 

I  observed  no  thickening  of  the  stomach,  nor  ..nything  which 
seemed  to  indicate  their  feeding  on  any  shell-fisb  or  ncUuscae. 

Mr.  Cooper  informs  me  that  he  recollccta  but  a  -'ugle  instance  of 
one  of  these  fish  being  taken  with  a  bait  The  tiy,  howc"  •'•,  might 
possibly  prove  more  successful. 

The  rarity,  excellence,  and  peculiarity  of  the  C  efjo  Lavaret,  enti- 
tle him  to  a  place,  as  well  as  the  noble  race  of  wliich  he  is  a  member, 
though  in  some  degree  destitute  of  the  game  qualities  of  his  order. 
My  principiJ  object,  however,  in  introducing  him  in  this  place,  was 
first,  to  present  the  whole  family  of  American  Salmonida  to  my  read- 
ers, as  complete  as  possible  ;  and  secondly,  to  reclaim  with  all  my 
might  against  the  absurdity  of  calling  this  fish  u  Bass,  of  the  family 
PercidcB,  to  which  it  has  neither  resemblance  nor  kindred. 

This  absurdity,  if  possible,  is  rendered  more  flagrant  by  the  fact 
that  there  is  yet  another  fish  as  distinct  from  this  as  possible,  desig- 
nated as  the  Oswego  Bass,  though  it  is  no  Bass  either,  but  a  Corvina,  of 
the  family  Scieniday  called  also  th>,  T.rke  Sheep's-Head,  which,  from 
the  similarity  of  title,  is  frequently  <:  afounded  with  this  Coregonus, 
or  Lavaret,  and  also  with  the  Black  Bass  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  which, 
for  the  third  time,  is  not  pr<>perly  a  Bass,  Gristes  Nigricans,  and 
which  is  again,  through  the  similarity  of  names,  confused  with  the 
Sea  Bass,  Centropristes  Nigricans,  who  is  also  blunderingly  called 
Black  Bass.  So  that  we  have  actually  four  fish  as  different  one  from 
the  other  as  any  four  things  can  be,  all  blundered  up  together  in  con- 
fusion worse  confounded,  owing  to  the  timidity  of  naturalists  hesi- 
tating to  alter  a  misnomer  originating  in  the  ignorance  of  those  who 


fiS 


AMERICAN    FISHKS. 


were  naturally  ignorant.  The  scientific  name  and  characteristics  of 
this  fish  are  well  established,  as  Coregonus  Otsego,  the  English  of 
which,  being  interpreted,  is  "  the  Otsego  Lavaret."  And  now,  why 
should  not  the  stupid  blunder  of  Bass  be  consigned  to  the  oblivion 
which  it  deserves,  and  the  true  appellation  be  applied  to  the  fish — an 
appellation  which  assigns  to  this  the  last,  not  least,  of  the  American 
SalmonidcB  a  local  habitation  and  a  name  ? 

At  the  last  moment,  1  quote  from  a  very  clever  writer  under  the 
signature  of  the  "  Naturalist,''  from  the  Spirit  of  the  Times,  confirma- 
tory of  my  opinion  with  regard  to  the  taking  of  this  class  of  fishes  with 
the  fly: 

"  Besides  the  Salmon  and  Spotted  Trout,  the  Coregonus  Albus,  or 
White  Fish,  is  abundant  in  the  Chateaugay  lakes.  In  the  latter  part 
of  June  and  early  part  of  July  they  take  the  artificial  fly  freely ;  in 
winter,  they  may  be  often  taken  through  the  ice  with  the  worm.  1 
myself  caught  one  of  three  pounds  weight,  with  a  worm,  while  fishing 
off  the  rocky  shore,  (the  shores  of  both  lakes  are  mostly  rocky,)  for  tha 
Speckled  Trout." 


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ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYCn. 


ESOCIli^. 


This  family,  the  Esocidce,  of  which  the  true  Pike,  Esox  Lucius,  of 
Europe,  is  the  type,  is  largely  represented  in  the  waters  of  the  United 
States  and  the  Provinces ;  six  or  seven  distinct  species  having  been 
discovered,  exclusive  of  the  formidable  Garpike,  Esox  Osseits,  of  the 
south-western  waters,  which,  instead  of  scales,  is  cased  in  a  complete 
armor  of  rhomboidal  plates ;  and  which  is  held,  by  Mr.  Agassiz  and 
other  distinguished  naturalists,  to  be  a  connecting  link  between  the 
animals  of  the  present  period  and  those  contemporaneous  with  the 
Saurians,  and  other  extinct  races. 

The  fish  of  this  family  are  distinguished,  generally,  by  the  want  of 
the  second  dorsal  or  adipose  fin,  by  the  situation  of  the  dorsal  very  far 
backward  and  opposite  to  the  anal  fin,  and  by  huving  the  border  of  their 
upper  jaw  either  formed  solely  by  the  intermaxillaries,  or  by  having 
the  labials  destitute  of  teeth,  if  they  enter  at  all  into  its  composition. 
The  mouth  is  always  large,  and  the  teeth  sharp  and  powerful,  but  the 
shape  and  proportional  length  of  the  jaws  vary  greatly  in  the  various 
species,  as  do  the  situation  and  number  of  the  teeth,  and  the  formation 
of  the  gill-covers ;  and  by  these  particulars  are  the  species  distin- 
guished. 

The  principal  of  these  various  species,  are — 

The  Mascalonge,  Masqueallonge,  Esox  Estor,  of  the  great  lakes ; 

The  Northern  Pickerel,  Esox  Lucioides,  of  the  same  waters; 

The  Common  Pickerel,  Esox  Reticulatm,  of  all  the  ponds  and 
streams  of  the  northern  and  midland  States. 

The  Long  Island  Pickerel,  Esox  Fasciatus,  probably  peculiar 
to  Long  Island,  formerly  Nassau  Island,  on  the  southern  coast  of 
New  York. 

The  White  Pickerel,  Esox  VUtatus,  of  the  Ohio,  the  Wabash, 
and  others  of  the  western  waters. 

And  the  Black  Pickerel,  Esox  Niger,  of  Pennsylvania. 

Of  all  these  species,  the  first  two  form  the  type,  all  the  others  fol- 


150 


AMERICAN    FISHES 


*\ 


lowing  the  formation  of  the  head,  which  is  remarked  in  one  or  other 
of  these,  as  regards  the  comparative  length  of  the  snout,  the  formation 
of  the  lower  jaw,  the  dental  system,  and  the  gill-covers.  So  marked 
is  this  difference,  that  in  addition  to  the  wood-cuts  of  the  entire  fi.shes, 
I  have  thought  it  well  to  give  large  representations  of  the  heads  of 
these  two  noble  fish ;  and  by  examining  these  with  a  little  care,  and 
«Gmparing  them  with  the  heads  of  any  of  the  smaller  varieties,  it  will 
be  easy  to  distinguish  to  which  type  any  one  of  them  belong. 

Thus,  any  person  will  at  once  perceive  th>\t  the  Common  Pickerel, 
in  the  comparative  length  of  the  jaws,  and  the  beak-like  form  and 
scanty  dentition  of  the  lower  mandible,  follows  the  type  of  the  Masua- 
longe ;  while  the  Long  Island  species  resembles,  in  the  short  obtuse 
snout,  and  extension  of  the  teeth  to  the  tip  of  the  lower  jaw,  the  North- 
ern Pickerel. 

The  same  thing  will  be  found  to  be  the  case  with  all  the  other  sub- 
species, although  the  differences  between  them  are  so  trifling,  and  so 
purely  technical,  while  their  general  resemblance  is  so  great,  and  their 
habits  so  entirely  similar,  rendering  it  impossible  to  mistake  them  for 
fish  of  any  other  family,  that  I  have  deemed  it  superfiuous  to  multiply 
examples,  or  to  give  specific  descriptions  of  more  than  the  first  four 
species ;  contenting  myself  with  enumerating  the  others,  and  indica- 
ting the  localities  in  which  they  are  to  be  found,  which  will  be  alto- 
gether sufiicient,  in  order  to  prevent  confusion. 

Note  lu  Revised  Edition. — Another  species  of  this  voracious  fish,  Ebox  Phale- 
ratus,  Is  laid  down  in  some  books,  but  it  duea  not  seem  that  any  of  the  three,  Niger, 
Vittattis,  or  Phaleratus,  are  very  clearly  made  out  as  permanent  and  distinct  vn- 
rieties.  Their  habits,  haunts,  and  manner  of  feeding  are  all  nearly  identical ;  and 
until  a  mure  complete  searcii  of  the  western  and  southern  waters  has  been  made,  it 
\s  useless  to  attempt  going  into  minutite  of  this  kind.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  as  stated 
by  Richardson,  thnt  no  Pike  or  Pickerel  has  ever  been  taken  in  waters  west  of  tlin 
Rocky  Mountains. 


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E80CIDA.                                                          151 

ABOOMINAIi 

MALACOPTERYOO.                                                                                           E800IDA!. 

THE  MASCALONGE. 

Maaqucallonge  ;  Canadian  French. — Eaox  Eator ;  Cuvier,  Agassiz. 

JO 

5: 


This  magnificent  fish,  which  is  the  finest,  largest,  and  most  excellent 
food  of  all  the  Pike  family,  is  foimd  only  in  the  great  lakes  and  waters 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  basin,  not  having  been  discovered  in  any  of  the 
rivers  or  lakes  which  discharge  themselves  into  Hudson's  Bay  or  the 
Polar  Sea,  nor  yet,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  in  any  of 
the  smaller  lakes  of  the  United  States  which  shed  their  waters  north- 
erly into  the  St.  Lawrence.  It  is  stated  that  "  in  the  spring,  which  is 
its  spawning  season,  it  frequents  the  small  rivers  that  fall  into  Lake 
Simcoe" — which  discharges  itself  by  the  Severn  into  Lake  Huron — 
and  that  it  feeds  on  small,  gelatinous,  green  balls,  which  grow  on  the 
sides  of  banks  under  water,  and  on  small  fishes." 

This  great  Pike  is  said,  by  Dr.  Richardson,  to  attain  the  weight  of 
twenty-eight  pounds,  but  it  unquestionably  grows  to  a  very  much  larger 
size,  though  I  cannot  state,  with  precision,  the  greatest  dimensions  that 
ho  has  been  known  to  acquire.  Dr.  DeKay  says  that  he  has  been 
known  to  exceed  four  feet  in  length,  which,  having  in  view  the  breadth 
and  depth  of  this  fish  when  in  condition,  would  give  a  probable  weight 
of  sixty  or  eighty  pounds,  which  I  believe  to  approach  his  maximum. 
He  is  a  bold  and  most  voracious  fish. 

The  cut  accompanying  this  paper,  and  the  following  description, 
are  taken  from  a  specimen  preserved  in  spirits,  in  the  possession  of 
Professor  Agassiz,  of  Harvard  University,  which  measured  about  two 
feet  and  a  half  in  length,  and  weighed  eighteen  pounds. 

The  length  of  the  head  to  that  of  the  whole  body  was  as  two  to  nine. 

The  snout,  from  the  orbit  of  the  eye  forward,  singularly  elongated 
and  acute.  The  anterior  edge  of  the  orbit,  midway  between  the  tip 
of  the  snout  and  the  posterior  margin  of  the  free  gill-cover.  The  bor- 
der of  the  upper  jaw  is  formed  of  the  maxillaries  alono,  the  edges  of 


li 


152 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


which  are  furnished  with  several  roAvs  of  long,  powerful,  and  exceed- 
ingly sharp,  awl-shaped  teeth,  the  points  curving  slightly  forward. 
The  vomer  and  palatine  bones  are  covered  with  card-like  clumps  of 
spiny  teeth,  as  are  the  base  of  the  tongue,  and  the  pharyngeal  bones. 
The  tongue  itself  is  soft. 

The  lower  jaw  is  considerably  longer  than  the  upper ;  it  is  armed 
for  something  less  than  half  its  length  with  very  powerful  recurved 
fangs,  the  two  largest  being  in  front,  a  little  posterior  to  the  tip  of  the 
tongue.  Beyond  these,  the  lower  jaw  is  toothless,  curved  upwards, 
with  sharp,  horny,  beak-like  edges ;  and  in  those  points,  particularly, 
is  it  distinct  from  the  following  species. 

Of  the  gill-covers,  the  preoperculum  is  nearly  vertical,  and  but 
slightly  curved,  the  operculum  much  higher  than  it  is  broad,  and 
nearly  four  times  as  high  as  the  suboperculura,  which  is  slightly  round- 
ed posteriorly.     The  branchiostegous  rays  are  eighteen  in  number. 

The  body  and  head  are  quadrangular,  flattened  above,  and  much 
compressed  at  the  sides.  The  dorsal  fin  is  directly  above  the  anal, 
the  caudal  powerful  and  deeply  forked. 

The  fins,  according  to  Professor  Agassiz'  singularly  precise  mode  of 
enumeration,  contain — the  dorsal,  twenty-two  fin  rays  ;  anal,  twenty  ; 
ventral,  thirteen ;  pectoral,  eighteen.  The  main  part  of  the  caudal 
fin  is  divided  into  two  somewhat  unequal  lobes,  containing,  the  upper, 
nine  ;  the  under,  eight  fin-rays ;  while  above  and  below  the  two  larger 
lateral  rays  there  are  nine  smaller  rays. 

In  color,  it  differs  from  the  Northern  Pickerel  in  having  the  general 
tint  of  the  body  lighter  than  the  markings.  The  back  and  upper  part 
of  the  sides  are  dark,  changing  from  greenish  blue  to  bluish  gray,  on 
the  sides,  which  are  irregularly  dashed  with  darker  spots  and  splashes. 
When  exposed  to  a  strong  light,  every  scale  refiects  bright  colors, 
which  vary  as  the  fish  is  moved ;  but  there  is  no  fixed  pale  mark  on 
the  tip  of  the  scales,  as  in  the  succeeding  species. 

The  Mascalonge,  which  owes  its  name  to  the  formation  of  the  head 
— masque  allonge^  long  face  or  snout,  Canadian  French — but  which 
has  been  translated  from  dialect  to  dialect,  maskinonge,  muscalungo, 
and  muscalinga,  until  every  trace  of  tru  ^  derivation  has  been  lost,  is 
said  to  be  much  more  common  in  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  than  in  the 
more  northern  waters  of  Canada ;  but  this  will,  I  fancy,  prove  to  be 


ESOCIU^. 


103 


erroneous,  as  I  know  them  to  be  taken  of  great  size,  and  remarkable 
excellence,  in  Lake  Huron. 

It  is  the  boldest,  fiercest,  and  most  voracious  of  fresh-water  fish ;  and 
there  is  none,  unless  it  be  the  Great  Lake  Trout,  that  can  oflFer  any 
adequate  resistance  to  his  attacks.  It  is  said  that  even  the  spiny  dor- 
sals of  the  Fercida  do  not  protect  them  from  his  ravenous  attacks. 

He  bites  daringly  at  a  dead  bait  played  with  spinning-tackle,  or 
even  with  a  simple  gorge  and  trolling-hooks.  He  is,  moreover,  readily 
taken  with  that  murderous  instrument,  the  spoon,  or  even  by  a  bait 
of  tin  or  red  cloth,  made  to  play  quickly  through  the  water. 

Before  passing  to  the  next  species,  I  cannot  but  pause  to  notice  a 
strange  error  of  nomenclature,  in  Mr.  Brown's  comprehensive  little 
volume,  "  The  American  Angler's  Manual,"  to  which  I  have  alluded 
before,  by  which  he  transforms  the  term  Esox,  ttie  specific  name  of 
every  member  of  the  Pike  family,  as  assigned  by  Linnaeus,  into  the 
Essex,  which  he  appears  to  conceive  a  distinctive  term  peculiar  to  the 
Mascalonge,  which  he  calls  "  the  Essex  or  Muscalinga  of  our  western 
lakes."  I  note  this  error,  not  from  any  desire  to  underrate  a  useful 
and  valuable  little  book,  but  merely  to  guard  against  its  adoption  by 
anglers  in  general. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — The  Mascalonge  is,  as  I  presumed  above,  and  have 
verified  by  personal  observation,  vastly  more  abundant,  and  infinitely  larger,  and  in 
all  respects  superior  in  Lake  Huron  to  those  in  the  lakes  below  ;  indeed  ihe  superi- 
ority of  all  kinds  of  fish  in  those  cold,  pure,  deep  waters,  improving  the  farther  you 
go  northward,  to  those  in  the  muddy  shallows  of  Lake  Erie,  cannot  be  believed  until 
it  is  learned  by  experience 


104 


AMERICAN  FISHES 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTSRYOU. 


ElOCIDiE. 


GREAT  NORTHERN  PICKEREL. 

Etox  Lueioidet;  Agusiz. 

This  great  Pike,  like  the  last,  is  peculiar  to  the  basin  of  the  St 
Lawrence,  and  was  first  clearly  described  and  specified  during  thn 
scientific  tour  to  Lake  Superior,  which  I  have  already  mentioned,  by 
Prof.  Agassiz,  who  pointed  out  its  distinctions,  both  from  the  European 
Pike,  and  the  Maccalonge,  tothe  former  of  which,  Esox  Lucius^  it  is 
by  far  the  most  closely  allied,  although  it  appears  to  have  been  con- 
founded with  both — Le  Sueur,  who  first  gave  a  distinct  specific  name 
to  the  Mascalonge,  having  described  it  as  the  fish  now  under  consid- 
eration, Esox  Lucioides,  and  not  at  all  as  Esox  Est  or. 

The  Northern  Pickerel  is  taken  up  to  the  weight  of  sixteen  or 
seventeen  pounds,  but  rarely,  I  believe,  exceeds  that  weight.  It  is  an 
exceedingly  handsome  fish,  longer  and  slighter,  in  proportion  to  its 
depth,  than  the  Mascalonge. 

Its  body  is  four-sided,  the  back  broader  and  flatter  than  the  belly  ; 
the  vertical  diameter  is  equal  to  about  one-seventh  of  the  body,  caudal 
included ;  the  transverse  diameter  is  two-thirds  of  the  vertical ;  the 
body  carries  its  thickness  to  the  dorsal  fin,  and  then  tapers  into  the 
thin  tail ;  the  sides  are  compressed  and  flattened  ;  the  head  is  about 
one-fifth  the  length  of  the  body ;  the  snout  not  nearly  so  long,  and 
much  more  obtuse,  than  in  the  Mascalonge ;  the  under  jaw  does  not 
exceed  the  upper  in  length  nearly  so  much  as  in  that  fish,  and  is 
armed  around  all  the  fore  part  with  a  single  row  of  small,  slightly- 
hooked  teeth ;  on  the  sides  of  the  lower  jaw  are  a  row  of  larger  awl- 
shaped  teeth,  implanted  in  the  bone ;  the  palate  bones,  vomer,  and 
pharyngeal  arches,  are  all  armed  with  bands  of  small  sharp  teeth,  like 
carding  machines,  as  in  the  former  species ;  the  tongue  is  broad,  and 
truncated  at  the  tip. 

The  gill-covers  are  nearly  as  they  are  described  in  the  Mascalonge, 


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except  that  the  edge  of  the  Buboperoulum  is  stralghter  and  more 
vertical,  and  that  tho  oporoula  arc  in  a  slight  degree  scaly. 

The  gill-openings  are  very  largo  ;  and  tho  branchiostogous  rays  are 
fifteen  in  number,  or  more  numerous  by  two  than  in  tho  English  Piko, 
which  diflfors  from  tho  Northern  Pickerel  moreover  in  tho  number  of 
all  the  fin-rays,  in  having  the  cheeks  and  oporcula  covered  with  regular 
scales,  as  in  the  Etox  Reticulatus,  and  in  the  teeth  on  its  vomer  and 
palatine  being  dispersed  into  linos,  rather  than  planted  in  serried 
patches. 

The  Northern  Pickerel  has  dorsal  fin-rays,  twenty-one  ;  anal,  eigh- 
teen ;  caudal,  seven  above  and  seven  below  the  larger  lateral  rays  ;  the 
whole  caudal  divided  into  two  unequal  lobos,  the  upper  of  nine,  the 
lower  of  eight  rays ;  the  ventral  eleven,  and  the  anal  sixteen. 

The  back  of  this  beautiful  fish  is  of  a  rich  blackish  green,  which 
changes  on  the  sides  to  greenish  gray ;  there  is  a  bright  speck  on  tho 
tip  of  each  scale,  which  gives  a  singularly  light  and  sparkling  aspect 
to  the  whole  fish.  The  belly  is  of  a  lustrous  pearly  white.  There 
are  several  rows  of  oblong,  diamond-shaped,  yellowish  gray  spots  on 
the  sides  of  the  head,  body  and  tail.  The  cheeks  are  varied  with 
emerald  green  reflections,  the  under  jaw  and  gill-rays  white  ;  the 
irides  purple,  with  a  golden  band  around  the  pupil ;  the  dorsal  and 
caudal  fins  are  blackish  green,  marked  with  patchy  bands  of  a  darker 
oil  green ;  the  anal  greenish  gray,  with  orange  margins,  and  a  few 
dark  spots  ;  the  ventrals  the  same,  with  orange  tips,  but  without  spots ; 
the  pectorals  dusky  yellow. 

The  Northern  Pickerel  is  equal  in  boldness  and  voracity  to  the 
Mascalonge,  and  to  the  northern  European  Pike,  from  which  he  differs 
in  the  fin-rays,  dental  system,  gill-covers,  and  very  essentially  in  the 
coloring — tho  Pike  being  banded  or  mottled,  and  having  no  indication 
whatever  of  the  regular  rhomboidal  spots  which  mark  the  sides,  and 
form  a  characteristic  of  the  Northern  Pickerel. 

He  takes  any  sort  of  bait  in  spinning  or  trolling,  and  being  readily 
captured  by  set  baits  through  the  ice,  forms  a  very  essential  article  of 
food  to  the  Indian  hunter  when  the  chase  fails  him.  No  animal  food 
of  any  kind  comes  amiss  to  this  fresh-water  tyrant.  Fish  of  every 
variety,  even  his  own  species,  and  the  spiny  Pearch,  the  immature 
young  of  wild  fowl,  rats,  reptiles  of  all  sorts — in  short,  every  living 


If?'- 


156 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


thing  that  comes  within  his  reach,  ministers  instantly  to  his  voracious 
appetite. 

But  the  baits  by  which  he  is  mo*?*;  sportingly  secured  are  the  small 
bright  leucisci,  or  shiners,  at  the  end  of  a  double  swivel  trace,  or  a 
live  frog,  which  he  can  rarely  refuse. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — I  have  recently  been  informed  by  a  correspondent, 
that  this  fish,  or  the  Mascalonge,  is  taken  in  the  Connecticut,  near  Bellow's  Falls. 
That  he  iiimself  has  captured  it,  and  is  assured  of  its  being  wholly  distinct  from  the 
Cuiiunon  Pickerel,  with  which  he  asserts  himself  to  be,  and  of  course  is,  conversant. 
He  also  adds,  that  it  has  only  been  known  in  those  waters  within  a  limited  number 
of  years ;  and  that  it  is  the  popular  belief  that  it  was  introduced  iato  the  Connecti- 
cut by  the  breaking  out  of  a  new  outlet  from  some  mountain  lake.  If  this  be  so,  it 
is  a  strange  fact,  as  this  fish  was  only  distinguished  as  belonging  to  the  great  lakes, 
last  year,  1848,  by  Professor  Agassiz,  who  considers  it  peculiar  to  them  ;  and  the 
Mascalonge  has  been  hitherto  distinctly  limited  to  the  St.  Lawrence  basiu.  This 
fish  wu?  considered  by  Richardson,  as  identical  with  the  English  Pike,  Esox  Lu- 
cius, AMhich  It  is  not,  though  nearly  allied  to  't,  whence  its  name,  Lucioidea. 


1« 


ESOCID^. 


157 


ABDOMINAI. 
MAi^ACOPTERYtai. 


ESOCIDiS. 


THE  COMMON  PICKEREL. 

Esox  Reticvlatus ;  he  Sueur. 

Thro'ighout  the  United  States,  excepting  only  the  extreme  west- 
ern and  southern  waters,  this  is  perhaps  the  commonest  of  all  game 
fishes  ;  from  New  England  to  the  western  limits  of  Pennsylvania,  not 
a  river,  pond,  or  streamlet  but  abounds  with  this  bold  and  rapacious 
fish  ;  ami  it  is  probable  that,  like  many  other  of  the  northern  fish,  he 
is  found  in  the  waters  of  the  hill  districts  of  Virainia,  Carolina,  and 
even  of  the  Western  States,  although  in  such  locations  he  is  lost  sight 
of  among  the  tribes  peculiar  to  those  regions. 

With  regard  to  the  Southern  States,  especially,  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  arrive  at  anything  like  certainty  concerning  the  species  or 
vari;>tins  of  game  fish  to  be  found  within  their  limits,  from  the  univer- 
sal misapplication  of  names,  and  the  unhappy  tendency  of  sportsmen, 
to  which  I  have  already  made  allusion,  to  adopt  any  barbarous  local 
iiiisuomer,  rather  than  to  make  themselves  acquainted  with  the  true 
specific  names,  and  to  learn  the  distinctions,  so  as  to  speak  under- 
standingly  of  the  game  which  they  tako. 

It  is  indeed  a  hopsloas  task  to  hunt  up  the  veal  poculiaritios  anu 


!■'- 


-k  A      'f 


1  '  4<r'l,' 


^88 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


true  genera  of  fish,  known  in  their  own  regions  as  the  "  Welchman," 
the  "  Pompano,"  and  such  other  denominations,  which  of  course  are 
not  to  be  found  in  any  work  of  natural  history,  while  the  people,  who 
are  in  the  habit  of  taking  them  daily,  can  give  you  no  information, 
nor  indeed  data,  on  which  to  found  an  opinion,  except  that  they  are 
"  very  like  a  whale,"  or  a  Trout,  as  it  may  be.  I  mention  this  hero 
en  passant,  because  I  am  perfectly  prepared  to  find  myself  violently 
assailed,  and  pronounced  utterly  incompetent  to  prepare  a  book  of 
this  nature,  becaus9  I  have  not  included  "  that  delicious  fish,  the  pride 
of  our  southern  waters,  well  known  to  the  real  sportsman,  the  noble 
'  Pompano,'  or  the  unrivalled  'Welchman,'  as  it  may  be,  in  my  list 
of  game  fishes."  But  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  peaceful  submis- 
sion, deeming  it  quite  enough  to  have  investigated  the  identity  of  what 
it  amuses  southern  gentlemen  to  call  "  Trout,"  and  Western  New 
Yorkers  "  Bass "  and  "  Sheep 's-Hcad,"  without  troubling  my  head 
about  mere  provincial  barbarisms.  I  believe  the  "  Pompano  "  to  be 
of  the  Mackerel  family,  and  the  "  Welchman,"  which  is  described  as 
a  bold  biter  at  small  fish,  worms,  and  the  like,  to  be  a  porcoid  fish, 
analogous  to  Rock-Bass,  Centrarchm  ^neus,  or  perhaps  a  Corvina, 
analogous  to  the  Malashegane,  or  Sheep's-Head  of  the  lakes. 

The  Common  Pickerel — to  return  to  my  subject — does  not  in  gene- 
ral exceed  five  pounds,  and  in  most  districts  this  is  considerably  ab  >ve 
his  average,  which  does  not,  I  think,  go  beyond  two  and  a  half  or 
three  pounds,  but  they  are  occasionally  taken  in  the  smaller  lakes, 
and  in  some  few  of  the  more  sluggish  streams,  of  infinitely  larger 
size,  even  so  far,  it  is  said,  as  to  twelve  and  fifteen  pounds'  weight ; 
but  such  instances  are  rare,  even  if  they  can  be  relied  upon  as  facts 
— which  I  am  somewhat  inclined  to  doubt,  thinking  that  they  have 
probably  been  mistaken  for  some  other  cognate  species. 

In  the  year  1838,  I  myself  took  a  Pickerel  which  weighed  fifteen 
pounds  throe  ounces,  under  Stillwater  bridge,  on  the  Hudson  river, 
while  fi.shing  for  Black  Bass,  Gristea  Nigricans,  with  a  large  gaudy  fly, 
and  landed  him,  after  a  long  and  severe  struggle,  having  only  a  light 
fly-rod,  and  neither  gaff  nor  landing  net,  although  I  was  fishing  with 
a  Salmon-reel,  and  one  hundred  yards  of  line. 

I  was  not  at  that  time  sufliciently  conversant  with  minute  distinc- 
tions to  say  positively  to  what  species  this  large  fish  belonged,  and  I 


r 


ESOCID£. 


159 


unfortunately  took  no  notes  at  the  time.  According  to  the  best  of 
my  recollection,  however,  it  was  a  longitudinally  spotted  fish,  and  if 
so,  was  probably  a  stray  Northern  Pickerel,  which  had  found  his  way 
down  the  canals,  from  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  into  that  of  the 
Hudson. 

And  this,  which  would  at  first  seem  a  highly  improbable,  if  not 
impossible  hypothesis,  becomes  at  once  reasonable,  when  the  fact  is 
known  that  three,  at  least,  of  the  fish  peculiar  to  the  great  lakes  and 
to  the  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  have  found  their  way  into  the 
Hudson  and  its  tributaries  since  the  opening  of  the  various  canals, 
and  are  now  taken  abundantly  within  the  State  of  New  York — these 
are  the  greater  Black  Bass,  Grisies  Nigricans ;  the  Oswego — not  to 
be  confounded  with  the  Otsego — Bass,  Corvina  Oscula ;  and  the 
Rock  Bass,  Centra  rchus  jEticus. 

Any  of  these  species,  in  order  to  reach  the  Hudson,  must  descend 
the  canals,  and  take  advantage  of  the  moment  when  the  boats  are 
passing  through  the  locks,  and  the  gates  opened — which,  when  we 
consider  the  commotion  of  the  water,  the  splashing,  hubbub,  and  con- 
fusion which  occurs  at  such  times,  is  in  itself  sufficiently  extraordinary, 
and  seems  to  go  far  toward  proving  that  fish,  except  as  reg-^.rds  feeling, 
are  much  less  shy  than  is  commonly  believed,  and  toward  abolishing 
the  idea  that  they  are  driven  out  of  their  favorite  rivers  by  craft  or 
steamboats. 

If  one  species,  however,  can  suc(;eed  in  passing  tLcsc  numerous 
obstacles,  there  is  nothing  to  prevfrt  another  from  doing  likewise  ; 
and  it  is  in  no  respect  more  Jiffinvall  lo  1v?licv.;  that  the  Northern  Pick- 
erel should  so  make  his  way  tri  our  soutl  <  rs,  waters,  than  that  the 
varieties  of  Bass  above-mentloQ3d  should — as  it  is  well-established 
that  they  have  done— introdn'itt  thi.m.-'elves  as  an  indigenous  fish  in  the 
same. 

From  what  I  have  personally  seen,  therefore,  of  the  Common  Pick- 
erel, Esox  Rciicidatm,  I  am  a  good  deal  inclined  to  doubt  the  tales  I 
have  heard  of  its  great  size  ;  and,  until  I  shall  be  satisfied,  on  personal 
examination,  am  unwilling  to  credit  him  wit'i  a  growth  exceeding  six 
or  seven  pounds. 

This  fish,  as  will  appaar  from  oxaininution  of  the  cut,  follows  tliu 
type  of  the  Mascalonge,  in  the  elongation  of  ^llo  snout,  the  curvature 


I 


P-     'vlS'tipiti 


,;'■,',■■■■■.  V'-.i 


160 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


of  the  lower  jaw,  and  the  smallness,  tliough  not  absolute  deficiency, 
of  teeth  in  the  lore  part  thereof. 

It  is  easily  distinguiMhed  by  its  having  its  cheeks  and  gill-covers 
completely  cased  in  -aiall  scailes,  aod  by  the  brownish  lines  on  its 
flanks,  occasionally  intersecting  each  other,  like  the  meshes  of  a  net, 
whenei^  the  name  Reticulatws. 

In  form  this  Pike  closely  resembles  the  others  of  his  family.  His 
body  is  quadrilateral,  the  back  broader  than  the  belly  ;  the  depth  is  to 
the  entire  length,  including  the  caudal,  as  one  to  seven,  the  thickness 
i.s  about  two-thirds  of  the  depth  ;  the  length  of  the  head  to  the 
entire  length  is  as  one  to  four ;  the  posterior  edge  of  the  orbit  is 
midway  between  the  tip  of  the  snout  and  the  posterior  margin  of  the 
free  gill-cover  ;  the  origin  of  the  ventral  fin  is  midway  between  the 
tip  of  the  snout  and  the  fork  of  the  caudal ;  the  termination  of  the 
caudal  opposite  to  the  origin  of  the  anal ;  the  gill-covers  are  nearly 
vertical,  and  very  .slightly  rounded,  excnpt  the  margin  of  the  suboper- 
culum,  which  is  very  short  as  compared  with  the  operculum ;  the 
brauchiostegous  rays  are  nine  in  number,  dorsal  fin  rays  twenty, 
pectoral  sixteen,  ventral  ten,  anal  twenty,  caudal  eighteen,  seven 
above  and  seven  below  the  greater  rays. 

Th3  back  is  of  an  olive  green  with  blue  reflections,  the  sides  olive 
green  fading  into  greenish  yellow,  with  vertical  lines  of  dull  brown 
occasionally  crossing  one  another,  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  irregular 
network ;  the  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  are  of  an  olive  brown  clouded 
with  green ;  the  pectorals  and  ventrals  greenish  brown,  margined 
with  dull  yellow ;  the  anal  dusky  green ;  the  irides  golden  yellow ; 
the  cheeks  and  opercula,  which  are  covered  with  small  scales,  are 
olive  green,  with  brownish  marks  and  rcfiections.  The  snout  brown  ; 
the  lower  jaw  and  gill-rays  white;  the  belly  white,  marked  with  brown. 

This  i.s  till'  Coininon  Pickerel  of  the  Middle  and  Eastern  states  ;  and 
is  the  fij'h  intended,  when  the  word  Pickerel  is  used  without  the  aid  of 
any  epithet  or  definition.  It  is  rather  a  favorite  fish  ;  and  has  been 
injudiciously  introduced  into  many  fine  Trout  ponds  and  streams, 
which  have  in  cous?qucnce  lost  all  their  attractions  to  the  fly-fisher, 
but  now  swarm  witli  tliis  coarser  and  coinparativoly  worthless  fish. 

He  is  a  bold  biter,  and  affords  considerable  sport  when  hooked  ;  hut 
is  coars?,  watery,  and  of  small  value  on  the  table. 


-"-'"-"—•*■■- 


ESOCIO^. 


16] 


ABDO.NflNAL 
MALArDPTERYGIl. 


EgOUID.fl. 


i  I 


't^i 


T|tIE  LONG  ISLAND  PICKEREL. 


Esox  Fasciatus  ;  De  Kay. 

This,  which  is  the  smallest  and  most  insignificant  of  the  family,  so 
far  as  its  sporting  or  epicurean  qualities  are  concerned,  was  fii'st  distin- 
guished and  named  by  Dr.  DeKay,  of  New  York. 

Its  principal  characteristic  is  the  very  remarkable  size  of  its  scales, 
which,  in  most  of  the  family,  even  in  the  enormous  Mascalonge,  are 
very  minute  and  slender. 

In  this  little  denizen  of  the  running  brooks  and  clear  Trout  ponds 
of  [jong  Island,  the  scales  are  larger  than  in  any  other  of  the  family, 
80  as  to  make  it  resomblo,  in  that  particular,  some  of  the  Cyprinidx^ 
rather  than  its  own  tribe. 

la  other  respects,  size  excepted,  it  differs  little  from  the  other  Piko, 
which  follow  the  type  of  the  Northern  Pickerel,  rather  than  that  of  the 
Mascalonge,  to  which  variety  it  belongs ;  as  is  readily  seen  in  the 
short  snout,  straight  lower  jaw,  of  this  small  fish,  the  latter  carrying 
its  teeth,  of  full  size,  quite  round  the  fore  part  of  the  jaw. 

The  Long  Island  Pickerel  rarely,  if  ever,  in  those  waters,  exceeds 
a  pound  weight,  and  that  is  greatly  above  the  average,  which  is  proba- 
bly nearer  one-half  that  size.  It  is  less  voracious  also  than  the  lai'ger 
members  of  its  family,  and  is  said  to  be  in  no  wise  detrimental  to  the 
Trout,  which  literally  swarm  in  the  same  waters.  Indeed,  its  size 
would  render  5-    innocuous  +o     ''ything  beyond  the  small  fry,  as  a 


j 


162 


AMERICAN  FISHES 


well-grown  pound  Brook  Trout  would  be  considerably  more  than  a 
match  for  any  of  these  little  Pickerel  which  have  come  under  my  ob- 
servation. In  shape  and  general  proportions,  the  Long  Island  Pickerel 
is  not  dissimilar  to  the  species  last  described,  the  head  alone  excepted, 
which,  allowance  being  made  for  the  diflference  of  size,  and  the  scali- 
ness  of  the  cheeks  and  opercula,  is,  in  all  respects,  similar  to  that  of 
the  Great  Northern  Pickerel. 

Its  gill-covers  do  not  materially  differ  from  those  of  the  Common 
Pickerel,  except  that  the  lower  margin  of  the  suboperculum  is  some- 
thing more  oblique,  giving  the  posterior  edge  of  the  free  margin 
rather  an  angular  form. 

The  branchiostegous  rays  are  four  in  n"  ruber ;  the  dorsal  fin-rays 
twenty-two,  pectoral  sixteen,  ventral  teu,  anal  eighteen,  and  caudal 
eighteen,  seven  above  and  seven  below  the  greater  rays. 

Its  color  is  olive  green,  darker  on  the  back,  and  fading  into  greenish 
yellow  on  the  sides,  irregularly  barred  with  transverse  waving  bands 
of  dusky  brown,  whence  itd  designation  of  Fasciatus.  The  fins  are 
brownish  green,  generally,  without  spats  or  bars ;  the  pectorals  and 
ventrals  the  palest,  and  bordered  with  dingy  yellow. 

liefore  closing  this  paper  I  would  mention  a  very  remarkable  speci- 
men of  this  fish,  which  was  kindly  sent  to  me  by  my  friend,  Mr. 
William  Pennington,  of  Newark,  who  perceived  that  it  was  a  fish  of 
unusual  character,  and  knowing  that  I  was  engaged  in  this  work,  took 
some  pains  to  procure  me  a  sight  of  it. 

This  individual  was  caught  in  a  net  in  the  salt-water,  in  the  lower 
part  0^  Newark  bay,  and  at  first  sight  I  was  inclined  to  believe  it  a 
nondescript  species. 

It  weighed  something  over  a  pound  and  a  half,  was  unusually  thick 
in  proportion  to  its  depth,  and  was  in  the  finest  condition.  Its  color, 
however,  was  the  most  remarkable  ;  for  the  back  and  sides,  do\iTi  to 
the  lateral  line,  W(  /e  of  the  ricliest  and  most  lustrous  copper-color, 
paling  on  the  sidos  into  bright  br;iz..a  yellow,  with  the  belly  of  a  silvery 
whiteness.  The  cheeks,  gill-covers,  and  fins  all  partook  of  the  same 
coppery  huo,  and  the  whole  fish  was  far  more  lucent  and  metallic  than 
any  of  the  family  i  had  before  seen.  There  was  not  the  slightest  in- 
dication of  any  transverse  bars  or  of  any  mottling ;  nor  was  there  any 
of  that  sea-green  color  which  is  so  peculiar  to  the  Pike  family. 


ESOCID.E. 


163 


On  a  minute  examination,  however,  of  its  characteristics,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  size  of  its  scales,  I  was  perfectly  satisfied  that  it  was 
neither  more  nor  less  than  an  individual  Long  Island  Pickerel,  Esox 
FasciatuSy  which,  having  wandered  into  salt-waters,  had  thus  entirely 
changed  its  colors,  and  grown  to  a  weight  exceeding  its  natural  average, 
in  the  ratio  of  at  least  three  to  one,  probably  from  the  superiority  and 
gi-eater  abundance  of  food  which  he  found  in  his  new  hunting  grounds. 

I  did  not  myself  taste  the  fish,  but  was  informed  that  it  was  of 
very  unusual  excellence. 

I  never  saw  a  more  striking  instance  of  the  effect  which  different 
waters  have  upon  the  coloring  and  condition  of  fishes,  than  in  this 
Pickerel ;  nothing  was  left  unchanged  except  those  specific  characters 
on  which  alone  permanent  distinctions  can  be  founded ;  and  without  a 
knowledge  of  which,  the  quickest  observation  is  useless,  so  far  as  as- 
signing their  places  to  any  of  the  animal  kingdom. 

In  addition  to  the  four  species  above  described,  there  are  laid  down 
in  the  books  three  others,  beside  the  hideous  Garpike,  or  Alligator 
Gar,  Esox  Osseus,  of  the  West. 

These  are  the  Esox  Niger,  Esox  Phaleratm,  and  Esox  Vittatus, 
of  the  western  waters,  all  which  are  so  closely  allied,  and  so  closely 
similar  in  habit,  that  there  is  no  object  in  occupying  space  in  their 
description,  the  rather  as  they  are  well  known,  and  not  liable  to  be 
mistaken  for  others  of  the  same  familv. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — I  have  observed  a  statement  of  acorrespondert  1o  the 
N.  Y.  Spirit  of  the  Times,  that  I  have  erred  in  assigning  one  to  one  and  half  pounds 
as  the  limit  of  growth  to  the  Long  Island  Pickerel,  because  he  had  killed  Pickerel 
of  four  pounds  and  upward  on  Long  Island.  The  common  Pickerel,  Esox  Reti- 
culatus,  which  grows  to  five  and  even  s-even  pounds,  is  taken  on  Long  Island,  but 
is  not,  therefore,  or  for  other  cause,  the  Long  Island  Pickerel,  which  was  scientifi- 
cally distinguished  from  it  by  DeKay,  on  account  of  its  diminutive  size  and  large 
scales.    The  distinction  has  been  allowed  by  Agassiz,  and  all  eminent  naturalists. 


■ir    '.t 


lii 


li? 


•"    V 


^^1 


n 


1  r  V\ 


.i4« 


Mi 


164 


ABDOMINAL 
MAI.ACOPTERYOII. 


AMERICAN  FfSHGa. 


CYPRlNrD/« 


THE   COMMON  CARP. 

Cyprinu   Carpiu;   Liniiffius,  Cuvier.  , 

Of  this  family,  CyprinidcBy  the  principal  characteristics  are  a  mouth 
slightly  cleft ;  weak,  and  generally  toothless  jaws ;  pharyngeal  bones 
strongly  dentated  ;  one  dorsal  fin  ;  branchial  rays  few  in  number ;  to 
which  may  be  added  large  fleshy  lips,  and  bodies  covered  with  large 
scales. 

It  comprises  eighty  or  ninety  well-known  American  species,  not  one 
of  which  is  worthy  of  notice,  as  either  a  fish  of  sport  or  a  dainty. 
There  are  in  America  no  Carps  proper,  indigenous  to  the  country — no 
Barbels — no  Cobitls,  or  loaches.  Leucisci,  analogous  to,  though  by 
no  means — as  stated  by  Dr.  J.  V.  C.  Smith,  of  Massachusetts — iden- 
tical with  the  Chub,  Roach,  Dace,  and  Bleak  of  Europe,  are  fourd  in 
abundance  under  the  above  names,  but  still  more  commonly  aa  Shiners. 
The  genus  Abra7>iis,  Bream,  has  again  several  ropresontatives  in  the 
waters  of  North  America,  but  none,  either  of  this  or  the  last  sub- 
genus, can  attain  to  dimensions  which  lead  the  angler  to  trouble  him- 
self about  them,  unless  it  be  as  bait  for  other  fish,  as  Pike  and  Pearch, 
for  which  purpose  several  of  these  fish  are  better  adapted  than  those 
of  any  other  family,  unless  it  be  the  young  fry  of  the  Salmmida^ 
while  in  their  Parr  form. 


CYPRINID^. 


165 


In  lieu  of  thosu  genera,  howeve»,  which  exist  in  England  and  on 
the  continent  of  Europo,  but  entirely  lack  American  representatives, 
several  prevail  hero  which  are  totally  wanting  in  Europe,  as  the  genus 
Labeo,  the  genus  Catastovms,  Suckers,  or  Sucking  Carp,  many  varieties 
of  which  are  found  throughout  the  waters  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  from  north  to  south,  and  many  species  of  Hydrargyra,  ana- 
logous to  the  P]ui'opean  Minnow. 

Several  of  these  last  species  are  of  great  interest  to  the  naturalist,  the 
Catastomi,  or  Suckers,  especially,  from  the  singular  formation  of  their 
mouths,  which  are  situated  far  below  and  posterior  to  the  tip  of  the 
snout,  and  furnished  with  o'impcd  and  pendant  labials,  adapted  for  the 
deglutition  of  vegetable  substances  and  even  of  mud ;  but  to  the 
sportsman  thoy  are  of  no  account,  as  they  do  not  take  the  bait,  and 
are  worth  little  as  bait  themselves,  while,  by  the  epicure,  they  are 
justly  held  in  utter  scorn. 

The  truth  is,  that  nowhere  under  the  canopy  of  Heaven  are  the 
genus  Cyprinus  worthy  to  be  accounted  sporting  fishes,  and  nowhere 
are  they  eatable — not  even  excepting  the  Carp  and  Tench  of  Europe 
— unless  with  the  aid  and  appliances  of  a  most  careful  cuisine,  and  by 
dint  of  stewing  in  claret,  with  condiments  and  spices,  garlic  and  force- 
meat balls,  and  anchovies,  such  as  might  convert  a  kid  glove,  or  the 
sole  of  a  reasonably  tender  India-rubber  shoe,  into  delicious  esculents. 

The  shyness  of  the  Carp  in  biting,  the  great  size  of  the  Bream  and 
Barbel,  and  even  in  some  waters  of  the  Chub,  induce  bottom-fish- 
ing anglers  at  home  to  take  some  pleasure  in  their  pursuit  and  capture, 
but  that  is  invariably  in  such  slow  and  .slugiiish  waters  as  contain  no 
gamer  or  more  delicate  fish ;  and  the  dull,  logy,  watery  fish  them- 
selves, and  the  cockney  punt-fishors,  who  aspire  to  take  them,  are  held 
in  about  equal  esteem,  or  disestecm,  by  those  who  know  what  it  is  to 
throw  a  long  line  lightly,  with  a  cast  of  flies,  for  the  vigorous-speckled 
Trout,  or  to  spin,  or  even  troll,  with  the  Parr  or  Minnow,  for  the 
savage  and  voracious  Pike  or  Salmon 

In  America,  none  of  the  Leucisci,  Chub,  Roach,  Dace,  or  Shiners, 
and  none  of  the  Abramis,  Bream,  exceed  nine  or  ten  inches  in  length 
and  cousiHjuently  are  never  subjects  of  more  serious  pursuit  than  the 
holiday  crooked-pin  and  angle-worm  fi,shing  of  schoolboys.     They  are 


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AMERICAN  FISHES. 


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the  detestation  of  tho  Trout  bottom-angler,  constantly  nibbling  away 
his  bait,  and  tantalizing  hira  with  vain  hopes  of  a  bite. 

Of  this  family,  therefore,  so  far  as  tho  true  Air.'  rioan  genera  are 
concerned,  no  notice  need  be  taken  in  a  sporting  work,  except  as  re- 
lates to  two  or  three  little  fishes,  to  which  I  shall  devote  a  few  lines 
ea^'h,  as  being  cxccllont  Bait  for  all  the  larger  and  bolder  fishes. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  however,  two  European  varieties  have 
been  introduced,  and  have  become  entirely  naturalized  in  some  of  our 
waters.  The  Gold  Carp,  Cyprinus  Auratm  of  Linnaeus  and  Cuvicr, 
or  common  Gold  and  Silver  fish  of  China,  in  the  Schuylkill,  and  in 
some  streams  of  Massachusetts,  and  tho  Common  Carp  of  Europe, 
whoso  title  stands  at  the  head  of  this  paper,  in  the  Hudson,  especially 
in  tho  vicinity  of  Newburgh. 

Tho  former  of  these  little  fish  is,  indeed,  unworthy  of  notice,  except 
as  an  ornamental  fish,  to  be  kept  in  garden  tanks  and  fountains  ;  but 
the  other  being  much,  though  I  must  confess  in  my  opinion  unde- 
servedly, esteemed  in  Europe,  and  having  been  deemed  worthy  of  le- 
gislative enactments  for  his  protection,  by  the  State  of  New  York,  I 
shall  proceed  to  describe  as  a  species,  which,  within  a  year  or  two  at 
the  farthest,  will  come  within  the  American  angler's  list  of  game. 

The  m'"dc  of  this  fish's  introduction  into  American  waters,  is  as  fol- 
lows : — Captiiin  Robinson,  who  has  a  fine  place  immediately  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson  river,  containing  some  fine  fish  ponds,  between 
Newburgh  and  New  Windsor,  imported  some  years  since  a  quantity 
of  Carp  at  considerable  expense,  I  believe  from  Holland,  where  the 
species  is  very  abundant  and  very  fine  in  quality.  His  ponds  were 
soon  admirably  stocked ;  but  in  process  of  time  a  heavy  freshet 
carried  away  his  dams  and  flood-gates,  and  a  very  large  proportion  of 
his  Carp  escaped  into  the  Hudson.  This  fact  being  represented  to 
the  Legislature  of  the  State,  a  penal  enactment  was  passed,  heavily 
mulcting  any  person  who  should  take  any  one  of  these  Hudson  river 
Carp,  at  any  sea.scn  or  under  any  circumstances,  until  after  the  expi- 
ration of  five  years  from  the  passage  of  the  act. 

Tho  provisions  of  this  bill  have  been  strictly  enforced  ;  several  per- 
sons have  been  fined,  and  the  fish  is  now  extremely  abundant. 

I  cannot  here,  in  relating  these  circumstances,  control  myself,  but 


CYPRINID*. 


t67 


mast  invoke  tho  contempt  and  indij^nation  of  every  gentle  sporisinan, 
every  reasonable  thinking  man,  upon  the  heads  of  that  ignorant, 
motley,  and  destrudive  a8semblag(!,  which  is  entitled  the  Senate  and 
Assembly  of  Now  York.  For  the  last  fifteen  years  not  a  session  has 
passed  without  tho  strenuous  and  sustained  attempts  of  tho  most  edu- 
cated and  most  influential  gentlemen  of  tho  State,  both  of  tho  city 
and  tho  agricultural  counties,  to  induce  tho  faineant  demagogues  of 
that  assembly  to  take  some  measure  to  prevent  tho  total  extinction, 
within  that  very  county  of  Orange,  of  some  of  the  noblest  species  of 
game  in  existence,  indigenous  to  that  region,  and  once  abundant,  but 
already  scarce,  and  within  twi  ■  years  certain  to  be  lost  altogether, 
through  the  mal-practiccs  of  (lestroyers,  tho  errors  of  tho  ex- 

isting game-laws,  and  the  difrnuii_)  of  enforcing  them  in  their  present 
state. 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  state  that  these  efforts  were  wholly  inef- 
fectual— that  it  was  found  impossible  to  induce  those  learned  Thobans 
to  do  anything  to  prevent  American  Woodcock  from  being  shot  before 
they  are  fledged,  and  American  Brook  Trout  from  being  caught  upon 
their  spawning  beds ;  but  that  no  sooner  is  a  coarse,  watery,  foreign 
fish  accidentally  thrown  into  American  waters,  than  it  is  vigorously 
and  effectively  protected,  which  protection  was  merely  granted,  I  be- 
lieve, to  enable  "  a  fncdwus  member  of  the  hgislature^'''*  as  he  is  styled 
by  the  Lamed  Doctor  Bethune  in  his  fine  edition  of  Walton's  Angler, 
to  draw  a  witty  comparison  between  the  naturalization  of  "  scaly 
foreigners"  and  Irish  voters.  I  dare  say  the  facetious  member  was  not 
devoid  of  hopes  that  the  scaly  foreigners  would  some  day  or  other  vote 
for  him. 

It  is  impossible  to  fool  anything  but  contempt  for  such  unutterable 
blockheadism,  while  it  is  ecjually  impossible  to  expect  anything  better, 
after  their  recent  exhibitions  in  tlie  legislatorial  line,  from  such  a  body 
as  the  New  York  Houses  of  Assembly. 

Since,  however,  their  wisdom  has  pronounced  that  henceforth  the 
Carp  is  to  be  a  game  fish  of  America,  I  shall  proceed  to  describe 
this  "  scaly  foreigner,"  thus  naturalized  with  a  five  years'  exemption 
from  liability  to  capture,  in  the  waters  of  Hudson's  river. 

The  European  Carp  is  one  of  the  fish  which  has  been  the  longest 
known   and   esteemed,   being   mentioned   by    Aristotle    and    Pliny, 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


168 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


although  they  do  not  at  that  period  appear  to  have  attained  their 
present  celebrity.  They  are  found  in  most  of  the  lakes  and  rivers 
of  Europe,  but  thrive  best  in  the  more  temperate  southern  districts, 
degenerating  when  they  are  carried  farther  north.  It  is  said  that  in 
Russia  they  are  even  now  unknown.  "  Their  growth,"  says  Mr. 
Yarrel,  "  is,  however,  particularly  cultivated  in  Austria  and  Prussia, 
and  considerable  traffic  in  Carp  prevails  in  various  parts  of  the  Euro- 
pean continent,  where  an  acre  of  water  will  let  for  as  much  yearly  rent 
as  an  acre  of  land,  ai\d  where  fresh-water  fishes,  as  articles  of  food,  are 
held  in  higher  estimation  than  in  this  country." — Mr.  Yarrel  means 
England,  but  the  observation  is  even  more  applicable  to  the  United 
States  than  to  Great  Britain.  "  Carp,"  he  continues,  **  are  said  to  live 
to  a  great  age,  even  to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  or  two  hundred  years ; 
but  they  lose  their  rich  color — their  scales,  like  the  productions  of  the 
cuticle  in  some  other  animals,  becoming  gray  and  white  with  age." 

The  exact  period  of  the  introduction  of  the  Carp  to  England  is 
unknown,  but  it  is  mentioned  in  the  Boke  of  St.  Albans,  by  Lady 
Juliana  Berners,  printed  in  1496,  and  the  great  probability  is  that  it 
was  naturalized  from  the  continent,  probably  from  the  Low  Countries, 
or  Austria,  previous  to  the  suppression  of  the  monastic  institutions. 

The  Carp  thrives  best  in  ponds  or  lakes,  and  in  such  parts  of  rivers 
as  have  a  slow,  lazy  current,  and  a  muddy  or  marshy  bottom. 

"  They  are  very  prolific,"  I  again  quote  from  Mr.  Yarrel,  "  breed- 
ing much  more  freely  in  lakes  and  ponds  than  in  rivers.  Bloc  found 
six  hundred  thousand  ova  in  the  roe  of  a  female  of  nine  pounds'  weight, 
and  Schneider  seven  hundred  thousand  in  a  fish  of  ten  pounds'  weight. 
They  spawn  toward  the  end  of  May,  or  the  beginning  of  June,  depend- 
ing on  the  temperature  of  the  water  and  the  season ;  and  the  ova  are 
deposited  upon  weeds,  among  which  the  female  is  followed  by  two  or 
three  males,  and  the  fecundation  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  ova  is 
by  this  provision  of  Nature  effectually  secured ;  but  they  both  breed 
and  grow  much  more  freely  in  some  waters  than  in  others,  without 
any  apparent  or  accountable  cause." 

The  Carp,  and  indeed  the  whole  family  of  Cyprinid<By  are  the  least 
voracious  of  all  fishes,  and  the  least  addicted  to  animal  food,  the  larvaa 
of  insects,  worms,  the  softer  and  more  gelatinous  parts  of  aquatic 
plants,  and  even  vegetable  mud,  furnishing  them  with  ample  subsist- 


CYPRINIDJE. 


189 


enoe.  During  the  winter,  it  is  believed  that  they  eat  little  or  nothing, 
and  lie,  half-torpid,  in  the  mud.  They  are  extraordinarily  tenacioua 
of  life,  and  can  be  kept  alive  in  a  cool  place  for  many  days,  and  even 
weeks,  if  placed  in  wet  moss,  and  fed  on  bread  steeped  in  milk.  This 
peculiarity  renders  them  very  easy  of  transportation. 

They  are  slow  of  growth,  not  arriving  at  the  weight  of  three  pounds 
before  their  sixth,  or  ten  before  their  ninth  year ;  they  arrive,  how- 
ever, ultimately  at  a  very  great  size,  having  been  taken  up  to  eighteen 
pounds,  at  which  ultimum  they  are  nearly  as  broad  as  they  are  long, 
measuring  thirty  inches  in  length  by  twenty-two  or  three  in  depth. 

"  They  are  in  season  for  the  table,"  says  Yarrel,  once  more,  "  from 
October  to  April,  and  are  greatly  indebted  to  cooks  for  the  estimation 
in  which  they  are  held. 

"  The  mouth  is  small ;  no  apparent  teeth ;  a  barbule  or  cu*rus  at 
the  upper  part  of  each  corner  of  the  mouth,  with  a  second  smaller  one 
above  it  on  each  side  ;  the  nostrils  are  large,  pierced  at  the  second- 
third  of  the  distance  between  the  lip  and  the  eye.  The  eye  is  small ; 
the  operculum  marked  with  striae  radiating  from  the  anterior  edge ; 
nape  and  back  rising  suddenly.  The  dorsal  fin-rays  are  twenty-two 
in  number,  the  pectorals  seventeen,  ventrals  nine,  caudals  nineteen. 
The  first  dorsal  fin-ray  is  short  and  bony,  the  second  alsQ  bony  and 
strongly  serrated  posteriorly.  The  first  anal  fin-ray  is  also  bony  and 
serrated  posteriorly.  The  tail  forked,  the  longest  rays  as  long  again 
as  those  of  the  centre.  The  caudal  rays  of  the  two  halves  of  the 
tail  always  unequal  in  number  in  the  Cyprinidee.  The  body  covered 
with  large  scales,  about  twelve  rows  between  the  ventral  and  dorsal 
fins ;  the  general  color  golden  olive  brown,  head  darkest ;  insides 
golden ;  belly  yellowish  white  ;  lateral  line  interrupted,  straight.  Fins, 
dark  brown." 

This  fish  is  very  well  adapted  for  keeping  in  muddy  stew  ponds, 
when  he  will  become  very  fat,  and  can  be  used  with  advantage  when 
no  other  fish  is  to  be  procured. 


170 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
M \LAOOPTERYGn. 


OYPRINIDiB 


THE   AMERICAN   ROACH. 


LEUCISCUS    RUTILU8 


The  American  Roach  is  a  pretty,  lively  little  fish,  common  to  most 
of  the  ponds  and  small  running  streams  of  the  Middle  and  Northern 
States,  and  is  closely  analogous  to  the  European  fish  of  the  same 
name,  although  it  never  approaches  it  in  size.  In  England  the  Roach 
has  been  taken  up  to  the  weight  of  five  pounds,  in  the  United  States 
it  rarely  exceeds  five  or  six  inches  in  length,  and  together  with  its 
congeners,  the  Chub  and  Dace,  as  they  are  generally  termed,  though 
none  of  them  identical  with  the  European  species,  are  seldom  taken 
except  by  schoolboys,  and  never  put  on  the  table  except  in  remote 
country  districts  where  sea-fish,  and  the  better  inland  varieties  being 
unknown,  anything  will  pass  muster,  in  this  line,  as  dainties. 

The  Roach  is  readily  distinguished  by  his  blood-red  irides,  and  the 
ruddy  tinge  which  borders  his  pectoral,  ventral,  and  anal  fins.  His 
head  is  thick  and  obtuse  at  the  snout,  the  labials  coarse  and  fleshy. 
The  eye  large,  and  situated  midway  between  the  tip  of  the  snout  and 
the  portirior  margin  of  thp  "•ill-covers.     The  gill-covers  are  mode- 


CTPRINID*. 


171 


rately  curved,  forming  an  irregular  semicircle.  The  pectoral  fin  has 
its  origin  immediately  behind  the  edge  of  the  suboperculum.  The 
origin  of  the  dorsal  is  midway  between  the  snout  and  origin  of  the 
caudal  fin,  and  the  ventrals  vertically  under  it.  The  caudal  fin  is 
powerful  and  lunatcd.  The  dorsal  rays  are  ten  in  number,  the 
pectoral  sixteen,  ventral  nine,  anal  eleven,  and  caudal  nineteen.  This 
little  fish  is  gregarious,  swimming  in  shoals,  and  feeding  on  worms 
and  herbs.  It  is  admirable  as  a  bait  for  Pike,  and  for  the  larger  va- 
rieties of  Pearch  and  River  Bass,  being,  I  think,  preferred  by  them 
to  any  other  fish,  as  the  Parr  is  by  the  Sea  Salmon,  and  the  larger 
species  of  lake  and  sea  Trout.  The  Chub  and  Dace  are  also  good 
for  the  same  purpose,  but  inferior  to  the  Roach.  As  sporting  fish  it 
would  be  a  loss  of  time  to  describe  them  at  length.  The  American 
Chub  never  exceeds  ten  inches. 

*  Note  to  Revibeu  Edition — Since  penning  the  above,  I  hear  from  some  oor- 
respondents  that  in  many  of  the  Eastern  waters  they  grow  to  a  much  larger  size  ; 
my  views  are.  however,  those  of  Agassiz,  DeKay,  Smith,  and  Richardson. 


aoiyac 


-:r7^^ 


172 


AiMERICAN  FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOrrERYGU. 


CYPRINID^.. 


THE   NEW   YORK    SHINER. 


Stilbe  Chrysoleucas ;  Agaseiz. — Cyprinus  Chry.soleucas ;  Mitchil. 

This  beautiful  little  fish  is  common  to  almost  every  pond  and  stream 
throughout  the  temperate  regions  of  North  America,  from  the  waters 
of  New  England  to  those  of  Lake  Huron.  It  is  found  associating  to  a 
certain  degree  with  the  species  last  described,  and  still  more  com- 
monly with  the  Sun-Fish,  Fomotis  Vulgaris^  and  the  Yellow  Pearch, 
Perca  Flavescens,  though  it  undoubtedly  falls  a  victim  to  the  voracious 
appetite  of  the  latter  fish,  when  it  grows  to  a  larger  size.  It  loves 
gravelly  shallows,  on  which  it  spawns,  and  is  constantly  to  be  seen 
sporting  among  the  leaves  of  the  large  water  lilies. 

Like  the  species  last  named,  it  is  an  excellent  bait  both  for  Pearch 
and  Pike,  and  is  often  taken  on  spinning  tackle  by  great  Trouts, 
whether  brook  or  lacustrine. 

It  belongs  to  that  group  of  Leucisci  which  have  the  dorsal  fin  far 
back,  and  in  this  respect  groatly  resembles  the  subgenus  Abrnmis,  or 
Bream. 

Its  head  is  small,  smooth,  and  depressed  above.  The  mouth  is 
small,  and  destitute  of  teeth.  The  eyes  are  large,  with  yellow  u'ides. 
The  body  is  very  deep,  being  very  nearly  one-third  of  the  length, 
excluding  the  caudal  fin.     The  branchiostegal  rays  are  three  in  num- 


CyPRINIUJE. 


173 


ber,  the  pectoral  eevonteen,  \  .atral  nine,  dorsal  nine,  anal  fourteen, 
and  caudal  nineteen. 

The  upper  part  of  the  head,  back,  and  sides,  dark  glossy  green ; 
lower  sides,  and  belly,  silvery  white,  with  golden  reflections.  Dorsal 
fin,  brownish  yellow  ;  pectorals,  reddish  buff ;  ventrals,  dull  lake, 
anal  and  caudal,  dull  reddish  brown,  streaked  with  lake. 

Of  this  group,  there  are  several  species,  all  abundant,  and  affording 
much  sport  to  schoolboys  and  young  ladies.  To  the  angler,  except 
as  bait,  they  are  little  worth,  and  to  describe  one  variety,  as  a  type  of 
the  species,  will  be  amply  sufficient. 


1,1?* 


.     174 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


CYPRINlDiG. 


AMERICAN  BREAM. 


Abramis  Versicolor;  Agasaiz. 

The  Bream  of  America,  of  which  there  are  several  inferior  species, 
like  most  others  of  this  family  which  I  have  enumerated,  never  grows 
to  any  size,  and  is  very  little  accounted  by  the  angler  in  general, 
though  in  some  of  the  western  waters,  where  they  bite  freely,  they 
are  sometimes  angled  for  with  the  small  red  worm,  and  are  accounted 
a  delicate  pan-fish. 

They  are  distinguished  from  the  other  Cyprini,  by  the  great  depth 
of  their  bodies,  by  hav'ng  the  dorsal  set  very  far  back,  behind  the 
extremity  of  the  ventral,  and  by  the  great  length  of  the  dorsal  fin. 

The  tongue  is  smooth,  as  well  as  the  jaws  and  palate,  but  the 
lower  pharyngeal  bones  are  set  with  large  teeth. 

Like  the  other  Cyprini,  the  Breams  are  among  the  least  carnivo- 
rous of  fishes. 

This  is  a  beautiful  species.  The  back  is  dark,  of  a  hair-brown  hue, 
varied  with  many  colored  changeable  reflections ;  the  sides  golden 
yellow,  and  the  belly  silvery  white  ;  the  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  brown  ; 
the  others  yellowish,  tinged  with  red 


CYPRINIDf. 


176 


The  branchial  rays  are  three  in  namber,  the  dorsal  fin-rays  twelve, 
the  pectorals  twelve,  the  ventrals  seven,  the  anal  twenty-seven,  and 
the  caudal  nineteen. 

A  little  fish,  closely  resembling  this  in  form,  is  described  and  figured 
in  Dr.  Richardson's  Northern  Zoology,  on  the  authority  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Smith,  who  took  it  at  the  confluence  of  the  Richelieu  and  St. 
Lawrence.  It  is  known  to  the  Canadians  as  la  Quesche.  In  form,  it 
closely  resembles  this  species ;  and  in  color,  the  last  described ;  but 
it  has  one  spiny  ray  in  the  dorsal,  and  one  in  the  anal  fin,  and  a 
toothed  tongue,  which  would  seem  to  divide  it  from  the  genus  Abra- 
mis ;  while  the  size  of  the  anal  divides  it  from  the  true  Carps.  It 
has,  moreover,  small  scales,  and  barbels. 


- ■>: ""^^'r  { : 


w 


176 


AMERICAN    FISHEB. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALAOOPTERYOII. 


CrPRINIDiF. 


MINNOWS. 

Hydrargyra ;    Auctorum. 

The  ?.lmnow  proper  of  Europe,  Cyprinus,  LeuciscuSy  Phoxinus^  b 
unknowa  to  the  waters  of  North  America,  but  as  its    equivalent, 
end    analogous  to  it,  we  have  innumerable  species  of  the  Hydrar- 
gyrUy  or  American  Minnow  ;    which,  in  general  appearance,  habits 
and  haunts,  are  very  nearly  assimilated  to  the  European  fish. 

Its  food  consists  of  aquatic  plants,  small  worms,  and  minute  portions 
of  any  animal  substances.  It  bites  boldly  and  readily  at  small  red 
worms,  gentles,  or  the  larvae  of  any  of  the  Phyganea,  known  as  cad- 
dis-baits, stick-baits,  and  the  like,  on  the  least  Limerick  hooks,  num- 
ber twelve  ;  and  is  constantly  taken  by  boys  with  a  v»orm  alone  tied 
to  a  fine  string,  which  the  little  fish  swallows  so  greedily  that  he  is 
pulled  out  bafore  he  has  time  to  disgorge  it, 

Und3r  many  local  nam^s  this  beautiful  little  Cyprinnt  is  found  in 
every  swift-running  stream  with  a  gravelly  bottom,  and  in  the  shallows 
of  every  pond  or  lakelet  throughout  the  country.     They  are  generally 


CTPRIMIDJI. 


177 


known  as  Killy-fish,  and  are  an  ezocUcnt  bait  for  fish  of  almotit  ovory 
kind  that  prey  on  other  fish. 

As  live  bait  for  Pike,  Pearoh  or  Catfish,  thoy  aro  not  to  bo  equalled; 
and  in  spinning  or  trolling,  thoy  are  cxooUcnt  for  the  noble  Striped 
Bass,  the  Pike,  the  Salmon,  the  Lake  Trout  in  all  its  variotioa,  and 
for  the  Brook  Trout — especially  those  which  aro  found  in  the  tide- 
creeks,  where  they  are  less  willing  than  in  other  waters  to  take  the 
fly.  A  more  particular  description  of  so  common  and  well-known  a 
fish  would  take  up  space  needlessly,  which  is  more  required  for  other 
parts  of  my  subject ;  and  the  npecies  are,  I  was  almost  about  to  say, 
innumerable.  Three  of  the  commoner  varieties,  and  those  most  useful 
as  bait,  are  represented  on  the^preceding  page. 


i 


iir 


178 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYUII. 


OLITPtDi*. 


THE  HERRING. 

Clupea  Harengiu. 

t 

The  common  Herring,  which  visits  both  continents,  runs  into  the 
mouths  of  all  the  northern  and  north-eastern  rivers  of  North  Ameri- 
ca, and  is  not  only  greatly  sought  for  as  an  article  of  food,  but  really 
affords  very  excellent  sport  to  the  angler.  In  spring,  when  he  enters 
the  estuaries  in  full  condition,  and  full  of  spawn,  he  leaps  freely  at 
any  gaudy-colored  fly — ^whether  of  the  peacock  feather,  or,  what  is  yet 
better,  a  four-winged  fly  of  the  scarlet  ibis  and  silver  pheasant,  on  a 
scarlet  chcnil  body,  not  unlike  the  fly  used  in  Black  Bass  fishing,  but 
of  a  smaller  size.  The  best  way  to  use  it  is  with  a  single  bb  shot 
attached  to  the  gut  an  inch  or  two  above  the  fly,  so  as  to  troll  with  it, 
as  it  were,  slightly  sunken  below  the  surface.  I  have  taken  them  in 
this  manner,  off  Fort  Diamond  at  the  Narrows,  almost  as  fast  as  1 
could  cast  and  draw  in  the  fly. 

The  appearance  of  this  fish  is  so  well  known  that  a  very  particular 
description  is  hardly  necessary.  The  length  of  the  head  to  the  body 
is  about  as  one  to  four,  the  depth  to  the  length  of  the  body  as  one  to 
five.  The  upper  part  of  the  fish  is  a  fine  blue,  with  green  and  other 
reflections,  when  viewed  in  different  lights  ;  the  lower  part  of  the  side 
and  belly  silvery  white  ;  the  cheeks  and  gill-covers  silvery.  Dorsal 
and  caudal  fin»  dusky ;  the  fins  on  the  lower  parts  of  the  body  almost 


OLVFIDi 


179 


wltlte.  The  lower  jaw  is  much  longer  than  the  other,  with  five  or  six 
amall  teeth  extending  in  a  line  baokwards  on  each  sido  from  the  an- 
terior point ;  four  rows  of  small  tooth  on  the  central  upper  surface  of 
the  tongue,  and  a  few  small  teeth  on  the  central  surface  of  the  upper 
jaw.  BranohiostogouB  rays  are  eight  in  number,  pectoral  sixteen, 
ventral  eight,  anal  sixteen,  dorsal  nineteen,  and  caudal  eighteen. 
The  scales  are  large.     The  caudal  fin  deeply  forked. 

Several  other  spocies  of  Herring  are  common  to  the  waters  of  the 
United  States,  but  this  is  the  only  one  which  is  taken  with  the  fly,  or 
can  be  accounted  as  game  to  the  sportsman. 


m 


180 


»\ 


AMERICAIf  FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGIL 


CLUPIDA 


THE   SHAD. 


Aloaa  Prastabilia;  DeKay. 

This  dalicious  and  well-known  fish,  which  is  by  many  persons  es- 
taemed  the  queen  of  all  fishes  on  the  tablo,  has  been,  until  very  re- 
cently, regardad  as  one  that  could  be  taken  only  with  the  net,  and 
therefore  of  no  avail  to  the  angler.  It  is,  however,  now  clearly  proved 
that,  like  the  Herring,  the  American  Shad  will  take  a  large  gaudy  fly 
freely,  and  being  a  strong,  powerful  and  active  fish,  affords  great  play 
to  the  sportsman. 

It  is  undoubtadly  the  fact  that,  until  within  the  few  last  years,  fllh- 
ing  in  the  United  States,  except  of  Trout,  having  been  practised 
rather  as  a  means  of  providing  the  table,  than  as  a  matter  of  sport,  it 
has  been  taken  for  granted  that  many  species  of  fish,  which  are  easily 
captured  by  the  sean,  will  not  take  the  bait  or  the  fly  ;  and  few  spe- 
cies have  been  pursued  as  game  except  those  which  are  not  easily 
caught  otherwise  than  with  the  hook.  Fly-fishing,  moreover,  having 
been  a  few  years  ago  confined  to  a  very  few  individuals,  and  even  now 
being  comparatively  limited,  it  was  attempted  only  with  those  families 
which  could  hardly  be  otherwise  captured.  Now,  however,  nous  avous 
cAangi  tout  tela,  and  opportunities  for  the  practice  of  this  delightful 
art  are  sought  for  so  eagerly,  that  any  person  is  regarded  in  some  de- 


CLUPIO^. 


181 


groe  as  the  sportsman's  benefactor  if  he  introduces  to  his  notice  a  new 
species  which  will  afford  sport  with  the  artificial  fly. 

It  is,  as  I  have  observed,  indisputably  true,  that  on  his  entrance  into 
fresh-water  from  the  salt,  for  the  purpose  of  spawning,  the  Shad  will 
readily  take  a  gaudy  fly,  the  more  readily  the  higher  he  runs  up  into 
the  cold  and  highly  aerated  waters  in  the  upper  parts  of  our  large 
rivers,  where  also  they  are  taken  in  the  greatest  perfection,  as  for 
instance  in  the  Delaware,  so  far  up  as  Milford,  in  Piko  county,  Penn- 
sylvania. 

The  New  York  Shad,  Alosa  Preestabilisy  was,  I  believe,  first  dis- 
tinguished specifically  by  Dr.  DeKay  of  New  York,  having  been  pre- 
viously confounded  with  the  Allice  Shad  of  Europe,  Aloaa  Communis^ 
of  Cuvier,  Clupea  Alosa,  Auctorum,  to  which  it  bears  a  very  con- 
siderable resemblance,  although  I  presume  that  the  distinction  can  be 
fully  made  out. 

The  body  of  this  fish  is  deep  and  compressed,  the  thickness  rather 
less  than  one-third  of  the  length.  The  length  of  the  head  is  to  that 
of  the  whole  fish  as  one  to  six  ;  the  depth  to  the  length  as  one  to  four. 
The  scales  are  very  large  ;  the  tail  long,  slender,  and  daeply  forked. 

The  dorsal  fin-rays  are  nineteen,  the  pectoral  fifteen,  ventral  nine, 
anal  twenty-six,  and  caudal  twenty.  The  greatest  depth  of  the  body 
is  just  before  the  ventral  fin.  The  shad  has  no  distinct  lateral  line, 
its  abdominal  edge  is  strongly  serrated,  especially  behind  the  ventrals. 

The  top  of  the  head  and  back  are  dusky  blue,  with  brown  and  green 
reflections  in  particular  points  of  view.  There  is  a  single  dusky  spot 
behind  the  operculum.  The  irides,  sides  of  the  head  and  body,  are  of 
a  silvery  white,  with  a  tinge  of  copper-color.  The  dorsal  and  caudal 
fins  are  dusky,  the  pectoral,  ventral,  and  anal  fins,  white. 

The  fl?sh  of  the  Shad  is  perhaps  the  most  delicate  of  any  existing 
fish ;  and,  though  it  lacks  the  lusciousness,  as  well  as  the  glutinous 
fin  of  the  Turbot,  it  is  preferred  to  that  flsh  by  many  judicious  epi- 
cures, notwithstanding  the  drawback  occasioned  by  its  innumerable 
and  sharply-pointed  bones. 

From  personal  experience  and  success,  I  can  assure  the  fly-fisher 
that  he  will  find  much  sport  in  fishing  for  the  Shad  during  his  upward 
run  in  the  spring,  with  a  powerful  Trout-rod,  a  long  line,  and  such  flies 
as  he  will  procure  in  perfection  at  Conroy's,  in  Fulton-street,  New  York 


182 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


AttOOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGU. 


SILURIDiB. 


.    THE  CAT-FISH. 

Huron  Pimelode.    Silurus,  Pimelodua,  Canoaut;  Richardson 

This  singular  and  hideous  family  of  fishes  is  distinguished  from 
the  others  of  the  same  order,  by  the  skin  being  either  naked  or  pro- 
tected by  large  plates,  but  always  destitute  of  true  scales.  The  inter- 
maxillaries  are  suspended  under  the  ethmoid  bone,  and  form  the  border 
of  the  upper  jaw,  while  the  labials  are  lengthened  out  into  barbels,  or 
are  simply  rudimental ;  it  has,  also,  a  second  adipose  dorsal  fin.  First 
rays  of  the  dorsal  and  pectoral  fin  spinous. 

This  family  contains  twenty-five  or  thirty  species  peculiar  to  Ame- 
rica, which  are  generally  known  as  Cat-fish,  Bull-heads,  Bull-pouts,  &c. 
They  inhabit  the  larger  lakes  and  rivers,  especially,  but  are  found  in 
all  the  waters  of  North  America. 

The  commonest  and  the  largest  species  both  belong  to  the  sub- 
genus Pimelodus,  and  are  well  known  as  Cat-fish  ;  the  ordinary  '  nd 
measuring  only  a  few  inches  in  length,  and  never  exceeding  a  .<jw 
ounces  weight ;  the  largest  reaching  a  hundred  or  even  a  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds,  especially  in  the  great  northern  lakes,  and  in  the  western 
rivers.    The  great  Huron  Pimelode,  or,  as  it  ii  often  called,  the  Chan- 


SIHIRID.K. 


183 


nel  Cat-fish,  which  is  the  largest  of  the  family,  is  thus  described  by 
Richardson  : 

"  Profile  oval,  tapering  into  the  tail.  Head  broadly  oval,  forming 
two-ninths  of  the  total  length.  Orbits  small,  and  nearer  to  the  snout 
than  to  the  gill-openings.  Nostrils  situate  some  distance  before  the  eye. 
A  slender  barbel,  half  an  inch  long,  springs  from  their  posterior  mar- 
gin. Snout  obtuse.  Labials  ending  in  a  tapering  barbel,  which  is  an 
inch  and  a  quarter  long,  and  reaches  to  the  gill-opening ;  there  are 
also  two  slender  barbels,  one  each  side  of  the  chin.  Both  jaws  are 
armed  with  a  brush-like  band  of  short  teeth.  The  palate  and  vomer 
are  smooth.  In  this  genus  the  suboperculum  is  wanting ;  i\e  preoper- 
culum  is  attached  to  the  operculum  by  bone,  and  can  be  traced  by  its 
elevated  ridge.  The  interoperculum  cannot  be  traced  through  the 
skin.  There  are  nine  gill-rays.  The  gill-openings  are  rather  narrow. 
The  dorsal  rays  are — one  spinous,  seven  soft ;  second  dorsal,  adipose. 
Pectorals,  one  spinous,  eight  soft ;  ventrals  eight,  anals  twenty-four, 
caudals  seventeen. 

The  skin  is  smooth,  thick,  adipose,  and  lula-icated  by  a  mucous 
secretion.  The  color  is  a  dingy  greenish  brown  above,  and  dirty 
white  below.  The  flesh  is  very  rich  and  gelatinous,  and  not  dissimilar 
either  in  quality  or  flavor  to  that  of  the  Eel.  In  some  places  it  is 
esteemed  a  great  delicacy.  All  the  Cat-fish  are  greedy  biters,  and 
will  take  almost  any  animal  substance  as  a  bait.  After  being  hooked, 
however,  although  they  are  powerful  fish,  and  pull  hard  for  a  while, 
it  is  yet  a  dead  lug  entirely,  unlike  the  lively  and  fierce  resistance  of 
the  T  routs  and  Pearches ;  and  they  afford  in  truth  very  little  real 
sport  to  the  angler. 

Seven  species  of  this  fish  are  quoted  by  M.  Le  Sueur,  as  belonging 
to  Lakes  Erie,  Ontario,  and  their  tributary  waters,  besides  many  other 
varieties  in  the  southern  and  western  waters,  where  it  grows  to  a  yet 
more  enormous  size. 

There  is,  however,  so  little  difference  either  in  the  appearance  or 
habits  of  this  filthy,  mud-loving  and  hideous  fish,  that  the  description 
of  one  species  must  serve  for  all. 

Ihe  cut  at  the  head  of  this  paper  represents  the  great  Cat-fish,  or 
Huron  Pimelode. 

The  Siliirus  Glanis,  Sly  Silurus,  or  Sheat-fish,  is  the  largest  fresh- 


'Ww% 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


water  fish  of  Europe,  growing,  it  is  said,  to  six  feet  in  length,  and 
attaining  to  three  hundred  weight. 

Dr.  Smith  includes  this  species  of  Silurus  in  the  fishes  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Dr.  Flint  attributes  it  to  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  both 
evidently  confounding  it  with  the  various  indigenous  Pimelodes,  which 
it  greatly  resembles.  It  differs  from  the  American  Pimelodes  in  hav- 
ing the  anal  fin  extremely  long,  extending  almost  the  whole  distance 
from  the  extremity  of  the  ventral  \it  the  origin  of  the  caudal  fin. 


c 


t 


1 


ANQUILLID^. 


185 


APODAIj 
MALACOPl'ERYGII. 


ANGUILLID.E. 


THE  EEL. 

Anguilla;  Auctoram. 

Although  I  in  no  respect  regard  the  Eel  as  worthy  of  the  notice 
of  the  angler,  a  volume  on  fish  and  fishing  would  he  incomplete,  had 
it  not  some  allusion  to  this  singular  fish,  which  is,  moreover,  very 
excellent  on  the  tahle. 

The  family  to  which  it  belongs  is  of  a  difi'orent  order  from  any 
which  have  been  enumerated,  that  of  the  apodal  Malacopterygii,  or 
soft-finned  fishes,  destitute  of  ventrals.  They  have  slender  and  elon- 
gated bodies,  without  apparent  scales,  these  being  deeply  imbedded  in 
mucous  skin.  Gill-covers  they  have  none,  the  gill-openings  are  small, 
before,  and  rather  below  the  origin  of  the  pectoral  fins.  The  dorsal 
fin  extends  above  two-thirds,  and  the  anal  above  one-half  the  lonQ;th 
of  the  whole  fish,  both  united  at  the  end,  and  forming  a  tail.  The 
lateral  line  exhibits  a  series  of  mucous  orifices. 

The  general  color  is  hair-brown,  varying  to  glossy  bluish  green, 


186 


AMGItlCAN  FISHES. 


above,  and  coppery-yoUow  varying  to  silver-white  below,  according  to 
the  purity  and  brightness  of  the  waters  which  they  inhabit. 

They  may  be  taken  with  a  hook  and  angle-worm,  but  it  is  a  nasty, 
slimy  business,  and  affords  no  sport  to  compensate  the  disagreeable 
nature  of  the  labor.  The  Eel-spear,  the  set-line,  or  the  Eel-pot,  is  the 
true  mode  of  taking  them,  and  their  true  place  is  not  in  the  creel  of 
the  genuine  angler,  but  on  the  board  of  the  elaborate  epicure,  en  ma- 
telotte,  or  a  la  tartare,  according  to  individual  preference. 
'  With  this  fish,  our  list  of  the  soft-ra3'ed  species  is  brought  to  a  close, 
and  I  shall  now  proceed  to  the  Acanihopterygii,  or  spiny-finned  fishes, 
among  which  are  several  of  our  finest  species,  both  of  fresh  and  salt- 
water, both  for  sport  in  the  water,  and  excellence  on  the  table. 


.  r,"» 


PERCII>£. 


187 


ACANTHOPTERYOII. 


PERCID^ 


'    THE   AMERICAN   YELLOW  PEARCH. 

Perea  Flavescens;  Mitchil. 

This  is  a  very  common  fish,  widely  diffused,  with  small  variation 
of  size,  shape,  form  and  color,  through  all  the  inland  fresh  waters  of 
the  whole  United  States,  ranging  through  all  the  lakes  and  rivers  of 
the  country  from  the  eastern  part  of  Maine  to  the  waters  of  the  Ohio, 
into  which  it  has  gained  access  through  the  Ohio  Canal,  and  whence 
it  will  undoubtedly  ere  long  make  its  way  into  the  Mississippi.  There 
are  several  subordinate  varieties  of  this  fish,  which  differ  in  size,  color, 
and  slightly  also  in  the  number  of  fin  rays,  in  different  waters,  and 
these  have  been  created  into  distinct  species,  under  the  titles  of  the 
Rough  Yellow  Pearch,  Perca  Cerrato  Cfranulata ;  the  Rough- 
headed  Yellow  Pearch,  Perca  Granulata ;  the  Sharp-nosed  Yellow 
Pearch,  Perca  Acuta ;  the  Slender  Yellow  Pearch,  Perca  Gracilis ; 
and  the  White  Pearch,  Perca  Pallida.  It  does  not,  however,  appear 
that  these  distinctions  are  sufficiently  broad  or  permanent  to  justify 
this  arrangement ;  and  it  is  now  generally  held  that  there  is  but  one 
species  of  true  fresh-water  Pearch  in  the  United  States,  and  that  the 
forms  which  have  been  designated  under  the  above  titles  are  mere 
accidental  varieties,  similar  to  those  which  have  been  previously 
noticed  of  the  common  Trout.     Originally  the  Yellow  Pearch  was  a 


188 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


northern  fish,  its  range  extending  to  about  the  fiftieth  parallel,  but  it 
has  lately,  like  several  others  of  the  same  species,  been  much  more 
widely  diffused  through  artificial  channels,  as,  for  instance,  the  Black 
Bass,  Grittes  Nigricans,  and  the  Rock  Bass,  Centrarchus  ^neus^ 
which  have  descended  from  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  by  the 
Eric  and  Whitehall  canals,  into  the  waters  of  the  upper  Hudson. 

The  Yellow  Pearch  is  a  bold  biter,  and  a  tolerably  good  fish  on  the 
table ;  it  frequents  the  same  waters  with  the  Pickerel,  from  the  assaults 
of  which  it  is  defended  by  the  sharp  spinous  rays  of  its  dorsal  fin. 

In  color,  its  sides  are  yellow,  varying  in  intensity  from  greenish  to 
bright  golden  in  different  waters,  and  occasionally  in  tide  waters  to 
pale  greenish  white.  Its  back  is  banded  with  six  or  eight  dark  verti- 
cal bars.  Its  pectorals,  ventrals  and  anal  are  golden  orange — its 
dorsals  and  caudal  greenish  brown. 

Its  body  is  compressed,  elongated,  with  a  slightly  gibbous  dorsal 
outline.  The  scales  are  small,  the  head,  above  the  eyes  and  between 
them,  smooth,  lateral  line  concurrent  with  the  line  of  the  back.  Head 
sub-depressed,  and  in  the  larger  and  older  fish  the  rostrum  is  pro- 
duced, causing  a  hollow  in  the  facial  outline.  The  first  dorsal  com- 
mences above  the  base  of  the  pectorals,  the  first  ray  much  shorter  than 
the  second,  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  rays  are  the  longest,  and  the 
last  the  shortest — ^it  has  in  all  thirteen  rays.  The  second  dorsal  has 
seventeen  rays,  the  two  first  spinous.  The  pectorals  have  fifteen  soft 
rays  ;  the  ventrals  have  one  spinous  and  five  soft  rays  ;  the  anal,  two 
spinous  and  eight  soft ;  the  caudal  is  forked,  with  rounded  tips. 

The  mouth  is  of  moderate  size ;  the  preoperculum  strongly  toothed, 
the  operculum  serrated  beneath,  with  a  spine  on  its  posterior  angle. 
The  irides  are  golden  yellow — the  pupils  black. 

It  varies  in  weight  in  different  waters,  from  a  few  ounces  to  four  or 
five  pounds.  It  is  a  bold,  hardy  fish — is  easily  transported  from  one 
water  to  another,  and  appears  to  thrive  equally  well  on  all  soils. 

It  is  taken  with  the  worm  or  small  fish,  used  either  as  a  live  or 
dead  bait,  and  affords  very  fair  sport,  pulling  strongly  on  the  line  for 
a  few  minutes,  but  by  no  means  requiring  the  same  degree  of  skill  as 
the  Pearch  to  effect  its  capture.  It  is  the  favorite  fish  of  rural  anglers, 
where  Pickerel  do  not  abound,  and  is  esteemed  a  great  delicacy  where 
sea-fish  cannot  be  obtained. 


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PKRCIOJC. 


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AOANTHOPTERYGU. 


PUftCIDA 


THE  STRIPED   SEA   BASS. 

Rock  Fith ;  Bar-Fi$h  ;  Richardion — Labrax  Lineatui ;  Cuvier. 

This  noble  fish,  which,  after  the  Salmon  family,  is  unquestionably 
the  most  sporting  fish  of  this  continent,  has  its  geographical  range 
firom  the  Capes  of  the  Delaware,  in  which  river  it  is  known  as  the 
Rock  Fish,  to  the  ooaats  of  Massachusetts  ;  unless,  as  I  think  almost 
certain,  the  Bar-Fish  of  Richardson,  which  is  taken  in  the  St.  Law- 
rence, prove  to  be  merely  an  accidental  variety. 

The  Striped  Bass  is  properly  a  sea  fish,  entering  the  rivers  in  the 
spring  to  spawn,  at  which  time  he  runs  as  high  up  the  courses  as  the 
depth  of  water  will  permit,  and  lies  among  the  bushes  where  the  chan- 
nels are  narrow.  They  run  far  up  the  Hudson — are  taken  at  the 
foot  of  the  Cohoes  Falls  of  the  Mohawk  in  great  numbers,  and  ascend 
yet  higher  up  the  cold,  clear  waters  of  the  Delaware. 

In  September  and  October  they  run  along  the  coast  in  large  schulls, 
entering  the  inlets,  and  being  taken  in  great  numbers  between  the 
outer  bars  and  the  beach  by  the  scan.  In  the  heaviest  surfs  of  the 
Atlantic,  on  the  outer  ocean  beaches,  they  are  captured  of  great  size 
with  a  bone  or  metal  squid.  They  are  a  bold,  ravenous  and  powerful 
fish,  biting  voraciously  at  almost  every  sort  of  bait,  from  soft  crabs 
and  clams,  on  a  drop-line,  to  shiners  or  sparlings  on  trolling  tackle, 
Shad-roe  in  rivers  frequented  by  that  fish  in  the  spring  of  the  year, 
and  even  the  artificial  fiy  of  large  size  and  gaudy  colors,  with  which, 
at  the  end  of  a  hundred  yards  of  line,  they  afford  great  sport,  being 
vigorous,  fierce  and  active,  nor  succumbing  until  after  a  long  and 
violent  conflict  with  their  captors. 

In  winter,  when  the  weather  becomes  cold  and  stormy,  they  again 
enter  the  estuaries  of  rivers,  and  imbed  themselves  in  the  mud  of  the 
brackish  bays  and  lagoons,  which  possess  the  advantage  of  being  culm 
and  undisturbed  by  the  tempests  which  vex  the  open  sea. 

They  attain  to  a  very  great  size,  even,  I  believe,  to  seventy  or 


190 


AMERICAN    riSHES. 


eighty  pounds'  weight,  though  I  have  never  niyaelf  seen  one  of  above 
forty-three  ;  the  smaller  sized  fish,  of  seven  or  eight  pounds,  are, 
however,  by  far  the  most  delicate,  and  I  think  those  not  exceeding 
fifteen  pounds  give  the  best  sport  to  the  angler. 

In  color,  the  Striped  Bass  is  bluish  brown  above,  silvery  on  the 
sides  and  beneath.  Along  each  side  are  from  seven  to  nine  equidis- 
tant dark,  parallel  stripes,  the  upper  series  terminating  at  the  base 
of  the  caudal,  and  the  lower  above  the  anal  fin.  These  lines  are 
occasionally  indistinct,  sometimes  interrupted,  and  more  rarely  each 
alternately  a  continuous  stripe  and  a  row  of  abbreviated  lines  or  dots ; 
this  appears  to  be  the  form  which  Dr.  Richardson  has  designated  as 
the  Bar-Fish  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  body  is  cylindrical  and  tapering.  Head  and  body  covered 
with  large  adhesive  scales.  Lateral  lino  obvious,  running  through  the 
fourth  stripe,  and  nearly  straight.  Head  bluntly  pointed ;  eyes  large  ; 
nostrils  double ;  gill  openings  large ;  lower  jaw  the  longest ;  teeth  numer- 
ous on  the  maxillaries,  palatine  bone  and  tongue  ;  operculum  armed 
with  two  spines  on  its  lower  margin,  the  preoperculum  finely  dcntatcd. 

The  first  dorsal  consists  of  nine  spinous  rays,  of  which  the  first  and 
the  last  are  shortest.  A  simple  ray  occurs  between  this  and  the 
second  dorsal,  which  consists  of  twelve  branched  rays.  The  pectoral 
fins  have  sixteen  rays  ;  the  ventrals  one  spinous  and  five  soft  rays ; 
the  anal  three  spinous  and  eleven  soft ;  the  caudal,  which  is  broadly 
lunate  in  shape,  has  seventeen  branded  rays. 

The  pupils  are  black,  the  irides  silvery. 

Altogether  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  as  well  as  the  most  excel- 
lent and  sporting  of  American  game  fish,  the  flesh  being  very  firm, 
white  and  well-flavored.  * 


There  are  two  other  species  of  Bass,  the  Lahrax  RufuSj  and  Labrax 
Pallidus,  or  Ruddy,  and  little  White  Bass,  which  are  better  known, 
both  to  anglers  and  epicures,  as  the  River  Pearch  of  New  York,  and 
White  Pearch.  They  are  both  taken  in  the  bracjcish  waters  of  tide 
rivers,  and  afford  fair  sport  to  the  angler,  as  well  as  being  a  very  deli- 
cate pan-fish 


PKnciOjK. 


191 


Dr.  DeKay  uIbo  uniimeratus  anoth'^r  fish  of  thiH  genus,  us  tbo  Hiuall 
Black  Bans,  Lahmx  Nigricn  ii$,  which  ho  deBoribcs  as  being  found  in 
various  ponds  of  (|uoons  and  Suffolk  Countivs,  Long  Inland,  rarely 
attaining  to  two  pounds  in  weight,  being  cstt3§mcd  very  good  eating, 
and  rising  freely  to  the  fly. 

I  have  never  myself  seen  this  fiHh,  but  have  great  doubts  whothor  it 
is  more  than  a  casual  variety  of  the  Black  Bass  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
the  Centrarchus  Fasciatut  of  DeKay,  the  Huro  Nigricans  of  Cuvicr 
and  Richardson,  and  more  properly  the  Grittct  Nigricans  of  Aga.ssiz ; 
for,  although  this  is  improperly  distinguished  into  two  fishes  by  Dr. 
DeKay,  it  is  in  fact  but  one  I  have  never  heard,  it  is  true,  of  the 
existence  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Bass  in  the  waters  of  the  State  of  Now 
York  south  of  Champlain,  prior  to  the  opening  of  the  canals,  bat 
there  is  no  doubt  that,  like  the  Pearch,  it  might  easily  bo  transported 
from  one  to  another  locality  by  artificial  means. 

There  is  yet  another  variety,  the  White  Lake  Bass,  Labrax  AlbiduSj 
which  is  taken  readily  with  the  hook  in  Lake  Erie,  and  known  at 
Buffalo,  where  it  is  rau'^h  esteemed  as  an  article  of  food,  as  the  White 
Bass. 

None  of  these  are,  how  >ver,  sufficiently  important  to  murit  more 
particular  notice. 


'mi 


192 


ACANTHOMiayGH. 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


PKRCIU,*:. 


THE  YELLOW  PIKE  PEARCH. 


1  7  ■       / 


AMEUItAN     SANDRE. 
Lucioperca  Americana ;  Cuvier. 

THE    OHIO    PIKE,    GLASS-ICVE,    VKLLOW    riKr,    OHIO   SALMON. 

This  bold  and  voracious  fish  I  have  never  seen,  though  it  ia 
abundant  from  the  western  part  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  tho 
Avators  of  tho  Ohio,  the  great  lakes  and  the  rivers  of  the  fur  countries, 
up  to  the  58th  parallel  of  latitude.  It  aflfords  groat  sport  to  tho 
angler,  being  readily  taken  with  the  hook,  with  almost  any  live  or 
dead  fish  bait,  though  it  is  said  to. prefer  tho  common  fresh  water 
Cray-fisli,  Astacus  Barioni,  according  to  Dr.  DeKay,  whose  account 
of  this  fish  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  borrowing  from  his  Fauna  of 
New  York  : 

"  The  best  time  for  fishing  is  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  with  a 
great  length  of  line,  keeping  the  bait  in  gentle  motion.  The  foot  of 
rapids  or  beneath  milldaras  appears  to  be  its  favorite  haunts.  In  the 
heat  of  summer  it  seeks  the  deepest  parts  of  lakes,  or  in  streams  in 
the  coolest  places  under  weeds  or  grass.     It  is  esteemed  one  of  the 


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PERCID^. 


193 


most  valuable  fishes  of  the  western  waters,  in  which  it  greatly  abounds, 
and  sells  readily  for  a  high  price.  It  spawns  in  Lake  Huron  in  April 
or  May,  and  has  been  taken  of  the  length  of  thirty  inches. 

"  Its  color  is  yellowish  olive  above  the  lateral  line  ;  lighter  on  the 
sides  ;  silvery  beneath.  Head  and  gill-covers  mottled  with  green, 
brownish  and  white.  Chin  pale  flesh-color.  Pupil  dark  and  vitreous, 
irides  mottled  with  black  and  yellowish.  Membrane  of  the  spinous 
dorsal  fin  transparent,  with  a  few  dark  dashes ;  the  upper  part  of  the 
membrane  tipped  with  black.  Soft  dorsal  fin  light  yellowish,  spotted 
with  brown  in  irregular  longitudinal  bars.  Ventral  fins  transparent 
yellowish  ;  pectoral  fins  yellowish  olive,  with  brownish  bars.  Anal  fin 
transparent  yellowish,  with  a  broad  whitish  margin  ;  caudal  fin  with 
irregular  dusky  bars. 

"  The  body  is  elongated,  cylindrical  and  tapering.  Scales  of 
moderate  size,  lateral  line  straight  from  the  upper  edge  of  the  gill- 
covers  to  the  tail.  Preoperculum  serrated  with  a  series  of  distant 
spines.  Opercle  with  one  slender  flat  terrinal  spine,  beyond  which  is 
a  pointed  membrane.  Branchial  rays,  seven.  Mouth  wide  extensi- 
ble, the  lower  jaws  received  into  the  upper.  A  series  of  acute  re- 
curved teeth  in  both  jaws,  and  on  the  vomer  and  palatines.  Two 
very  long  and  conspicuous  teeth,  resembling  canines,  in  front  of  each 
jaw  ;  those  of  the  lower  received  into  cavities  above.  Teeth  on  the 
vomer  minute.  Tongue  smooth,  pointed,  free.  The  flrst  dorsal  fin 
is  composed  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  long  slender  spinous  rays  ;  the 
second  dorsal  has  one  short,  simple,  subspinous  ray,  and  twenty-one 
soft  rays  ;  the  pectorals  have  fourteen  soft  rays  ;  the  ventrals  one 
stout  spine  and  five  branched  rays  ;  the  anal  one  spine  and  fourteen 
rays  ;  the  caudal  is  deeply  furcate,  and  has  seventeen  distinct,  beside 
many  accessory  rays." 

This  fish  is  a  true  Pearch,  though  its  form,  elongated  mouth,  and 
fiercely  predatory  habits  suggest  the  idea  of  a  Pike,  whence  Dr.  De- 
Kay  has  given  it  the  appellation  of  Pike  Pearch,  which  is  a  translation 
of  its  classical  name,  in  preference  to  the  name  Sandre,  which  belongs 
to  the  Canadian  fish  of  the  same  species,  and  to  the  analogous  Euro- 
pean fishes, 


d:imil 


i 


■.■■s 


w 


194 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


The  Gray  Pike  Pearch,  Lucioperca  Cfrisea,  would  seem  to  be  a 
permanent  variety  of  the  above,  if  not  a  distinct  species ;  it  differs 
from  it  in  size,  never  exceeding  ten  or  twelve  inches,  in  color  and 
several  other  important  particulars.  It  is  found  in  the  same  waters 
with  the  preceding  species,  and  is  equally  prized  as  an  article  of  food. 


Richardson's  Pike  Pearch,  the  Canadian  Sandre,  Lucioperca 
Canadensis,  is  another  small  distinct  species,  found  in  the  river  St. 
Lawrence.  Its  principal  characteristic  difference  lies  in  the  fact  that 
the  operculum  has  five  acute  spines  on  the  lower  margin.  In  color 
it  is  dark  olive  green  above,  and  whitish  beneath,  with  a  few  pale- 
yellow  spots  on  the  sides  below  the  lateral  line.  It  does  not  exceed 
fourteen  inches  in  length.  It  is,  like  the  others  of  its  species,  esteemed 
an  excellent  fish  on  the  table,  and,  being  a  free  biter  and  hard  puller, 
affords  good  sport  to  the  angler.  It  is  not,  however,  of  so  great  im- 
portance that  I  care  to  enter  into  a  more  minute  descriptiou. 

This  is  the  fish  concerning  which  a  controversy  has  been  gcirg  on 
between  "  Dinks  "  and  some  Western  fishermen,  who  insist  o\  cpJling 
it  a  Pike,  as  diistinct  from  Pickerel.  It  is  a  true  Pearch,  aad  has  no 
connexion  with  any  of  the  Pike  family. 


IB. 


PERCID/K. 


195 


ACANTHOPTERYGII. 


PERCIUiC:. 


THE  BLACK  BASS 


OF  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE. 


Huro Nigrieana;  Cay'wr.—Centrarchus Faseiatua;  DeKay. — Giiatea  Nigricana; 

Agassiz. 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  American  fresh-water  fishes ;  it  is 
surpassed  by  none  in  boldness  of  biting,  in  fierce  and  violent  resistance 
when  hooked,  and  by  a  very  few  only  in  excellence  upon  the  board. 

Peculiar  originally  to  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  which  it 
abounds  from  the  Falls  of  Niagara  downward,  if  not  through  its  whole 
course,  it  has  made  its  way  into  the  waters  of  the  upper  Hudson, 
through  the  canals.  It  is  said  by  Dr.  DeKay  to  be  found  generally  in 
the  small  lakes  of  the  State  of  New  York,  but  I  conclude  that  this 
must  be  limited  to  those  which  communicate  with  the  great  lakes  or 
the  St.  Lawrence.  It  is  taken  abundantly  in  Lake  Champlain,  but  it 
is  in  the  swift  glancing  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  among  the  exqui- 
site scenery  of  the  Thousand  Islands,  that  it  affords  the  greatest  sport 
to  the  angler. 

It  bites  ravenously  at  a  small  fish  or  spinning-tackle,  or  at  the  deadly 
and  murderous  spoon,  an  instrument  so  certainly  destructive  that  the 
use  of  it  is  properly  discouraged  by  all  true  anglers  as  poaching  and 
unsportsmanlike . 

The  finest  sport  can  be  had,  however,  with  a  long  light  Salmon-line, 
treble-twisted  gut,  to  defy  its  numerous  and  exceedingly  acute  teeth, 
and  a  large  fly,  with  a  body  of  scarlet  chenil  and  four  wings,  two  of 
the  silver  pheasant  and  two  of  the  scarlet  ibis.  As  the  Black  Bass 
attains  to  the  weight  of  six  or  eight  pounds,  and  is  excelled  in  vigor, 
speed  and  agility  only  by  the  Brook  Trout,  the  Salmon  Trout  and  the 
True  Salmon,  the  sport  which  he  affords  when  thus  hooked  can  be 
very  readily  imagined  ;  nor  can  he  be  brought  to  the  basket  by  any- 
thing short  of  the  best  tackle,  and  the  most  delicate  and  masterly 
manipulation. 

In  i'itlor,  this  fish  is  of  a  dusky  bluish  black,  nometinies  with  bronze 


196 


w. 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


reflections,  the  under  parts  bluish  white,  the  cheeks  and  gill-covera 
nacrous  of  a  bluish  color. 

The  body  is  compressed.  Back  arched  and  gibbous.  Profile  de- 
scending obliquely  to  the  rostrum,  which  is  moderately  prolonged. 
Scales  large,  truncated.  Scales  on  the  operculum  large ;  a  single 
series  on  the  suboperculum,  much  smaller  on  the  preoperculum,  ascend- 
ing high  up  on  the  membrane  of  the  soft  dorsal  and  caudal  fins.  Eyes 
large  ;  nostrils  double.  Operculum  pointed,  with  a  loose  membrane. 
The  lower  jaw  is  somewhat  longest.  The  jaws  are  smooth  and  scale- 
less.  Both  jaws  are  armed  with  a  broad  patch  of  minute  conic  acute 
reserved  teeth.  An  oblong  patch  of  rasp-like  teeth  on  the  vomer, 
and  a  band  of  the  same  kind  on  the  palatines.  Branchial  arches 
minutely  toothed.     Pharyngeal  teeth  in  rounded  patches. 

The  dorsal  fin  is  composed  of  nine  -stout  spines ;  the  second  dorsal 
of  one  spine  and  fourteen  soft  rays.  The  pectorals  have  eighteen  soft 
rays,  the  ventrals  one  spine  and  five  soft  rays,  the  anals  three 
spines,  and  twelve  soft  rays,  and  the  caudal  sixteen  soft  rays. 

*It  is  somewhat  doubtful  to  me  whether  the  fish  known  in  the  waters 
of  Luke  Erie  and  those  generally  above  the  Falls,  as  the  Cswego  Bass, 
is  not  distinct  from  this  fish,  though  it  is  also  occasional!}'  called  Black 
Bass.  There  is  very  evidently  some  confusion  about  the  matter,  as  I 
am  well  assured  taat  another  fish  of  the  same  family,  the  Corvina  Os- 
cula,  is  at  times  confounded  with  it,  and  called  by  the  same  name, 
though  in  truth  it  but  slightly  resembles  it.  Another  fish  of  the  same 
family  is  the  Growler. 

*  Note  to  Revised  Edition. — During  a  tour,  this  autumn,  through  the  grout 
lakes,  I  had  abundant  opportunities  of  learning  the  habits  of  this  fish,  which  swarina 
in  all  the  Canadian  lakes,  though  not  found  north  of  them.  It  is  taken  in  Seueoa, 
Crooked,  and  Cayuga  Lakes,  and  in  the  first  is  of  rare  excellence.  I  lean  to  the 
opinion  that  the  differences  between  this  and  the  Oswego  Bass  arise  merely  from 
difference  of  condition  and  feeding-grounds.  This  Bass  has,  I  understand,  been  in- 
troduced into  Lake  Mahopich,  Dutchess  Co.,  N.  Y. 


rERCiDii':, 


AUANTHOPTERyOII. 


197 


PERCIDiE. 


THE  GROWLER. 

Chrietes  Salmoeiden ;  Auctorum. 

The  White  Salmon  ;   Smith's  History  of  Virginia. — The  Tuout  ;  Carolina  Pro- 
vincialism. 

This  fish,  in  general  form,  closely  corresponds  with  that  last  de- 
scribed. It  has  the  same  gibbous  back,  with  the  lateral  line  following 
the  dorsal  curve,  and  the  same  protruded  lower  jaw.  Its  teeth  are  set 
minutely  in  broad  bands  or  patches.  The  operculum  has  two  mode- 
rate points. 

Its  color  is  deep  greenish  brown,  witn  a  bluish  black  spot  on  the 
point  of  the  operculum.  When  young  it  has  twenty-five  or  thirty  lon- 
gitudinal brownish  bands,  which  become  effaced  by  age. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  has  ten  spines,  the  second  thirteen  or  fourteen 
soft  rays ;  the  pectorals  sixteen  soft  rays ;  the  ventrals  one  spine  and 
five  soft  rays  ;  the  anal  three  spines  and  eleven  or  twelve  soft  rays  ; 
the  caudal  fin,  which  is  slightly  lunate,  has  seventeen  soft  rays. 

There  may,  perhaps,  be  two  distinct  varieties  of  this  fish.  It  has 
been  taken  in  the  waters  of  Western  New  York,  in  the  Wabash  in 
Indiana,  and  abundantly  in  Carolina,  where  it  attains  to  the  length  of 
two  feet,  and  is  considered  an  excellent  fish,  passing,  as  well  as 
another  fish  of  the  same  family,  the  Carolina  Weak-fish,  Otolithus 
CarolincnsiSy  under  the  misnomer  of  Trout.  I  am  inclined  to  believe 
that  this  fish  is  also  known  as  the  Wclchman  in  the  inland  waters  of 
North  Carolina.     It  is  also  the  Salmon  of  the  Susquehannah. 

Before  passing  on  to  the  next  species  I  will  observe  that  I  consider 
the  proper  classical  name  of  the  Black  Bass  of  the  St.  Lawrence  deci- 
dedly to  be  Gristes — the  genus  Huro  not  having  been  by  any  moans 
satisfactorily  defined.  For  that  of  Centrarchus  is  distinguished  by 
having  many  spinous  rays  to  the  ventral  fin,  while  the  genus  Gristes 
has  but  three,  Perca  two,  and  Luciopcrca  only  one — this  aflFording  a 
broad  iind  clear  distinction,  and  being  that  on  which  Agassiz  founds  the 
subgenus  in  question. 


'A 


M 


E<4= 


.98 


AMKRICAN   FlSllKa. 


ACANTIIOPTERYGU. 


r>:ilClDiE. 


THE  ROCK   BASS. 

FRESH    WATER    BASS. 
Centrarchus  ^neus ;  Cuvier. 

This  is  another  delicate  and  game  fish,  which,  originally  peculiai 
to  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  has  made  its  way  through  the  canals 
into  the  upper  waters  of  the  Hudson  and  the  anastomosing  streams. 
It  is  abundant  in  the  great  lakes,  and  Lake  Champlain. 

It,  like  the  Black  Bass,  is  a  bold  biter,  taking  a  small  fish  dead  or 
alive  very  freely,  but  preferring  to  all  other  baits  the  Cray-fish,  Asta- 
cits  Bartoni. 

The  general  color  of  this  fish  is  a  dark  coppery  bronze  above,  with 
green  reflections,  the  head  above  dark  green,  gill-covers  metallic  green, 
with  a  dark  spot  on  the  posterior  margin  of  the  operculum.  The  sides 
golden  copper,  with  several  rows  of  oblong  dark  spots  below  the  lateral 
line.     The  fins  bluish  green. 

The  body  is  compressed,  short  and  broad.  The  dorsal  outline  gib- 
bous ;  the  lateral  line  following  the  curve  of  the  back.     Head  large, 


PERCIOiE. 


199 


with  a  concave  outline.  Gill-covers  scaly  ;  the  operculum  with  rudi- 
ments of  a  double  anr;,le  on  the  posterior  margin ;  lower  jaw  somewhat 
the  longest.  Teeth  small,  conical,  recurved,  on  the  maxillaries,  iuter- 
mazillaries,  vomer,  palatines  and  pharyngeals. 

The  dorsal  fin  has  eleven  spinous  and  twelve  soft  rays  ;  the  pecto- 
rals fourteen  rays ;  the  ventrals  one  weak  spine  and  five  branched 
rays;  the  anal,  six  spinous  and  eleven  soft  rays;  the  caudal  with 
rounded  tips  has  seventeen  rays. 

The  Rock  Bass  is  excellent  eating,  and  gives  good  sport  to  the 
angler,  though  it  never  attains  to  the  size  of  the  Black  Bass,  rarely 
exceeding  a  pound  or  a  pound  and  a  half,  and  consequently  being  far 
less  difiicult  to  take. 

This  fish,  as  well  as  the  Black  Bass  and  others  of  the  family,  might 
be  transplanted  with  great  ease  into  inland  waters ;  and  as  they  are 
hardy,  and  defended  from  all  enemies  by  their  sharp  and  spiny  fins, 
would  be  sure  to  thrive,  and  would  prove  delicious  additions  to  our 
lacustrine  species  of  fishes. 


^'*il 


iJ-^%;i 


200 


AMERICAN    Fl&iiEti. 


ACAMTHOPTKRYUII, 


PKRCID.K 


^&^&J- 


THE  COMMON   POND  FISH. 


FRESH    WATER    SUN    FISi.  , 


Pomotia  Vulgaris.- ~Cuv\ei. 


Th:s  beautiful  little  fish  has  gained  its  provincial  name  from  the 
ixtreme  brilliancy  of  its  colors  when  disporting  itself  in  the  sunshine 
The  numerous  spots  on  its  body  have  procured  for  it  the  absurd  name 
Df  Pumpkin-seed  in  many  States,  and  in  Massachusetts  it  is  known  as 
Bream.  It  is  valueless  as  an  article  of  food,  and  equally  so  as  a  bait 
fish,  its  acute  spines  deterring  any  fish  from  seizing  it.  It  is,  however, 
a  constant  object  of  pursuit  to  boy  and  lady  angleis. 

It  has  very  many  varieties,  and  a  wide  geographical  range,  being 
found  from  Lake  Huron,  through  all  the  Eastern  States,  and  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  so  far  south  as  Carolina. 

Its  color  is  greenish  olive  above,  with  irregular  points  of  red  and 
broader  yellow  or  reddish  brown  spots  disposed  in  very  irregular  lines 
Ranges  of  brighter  spots  on  the  bluish  operculum,  and  on  the  hinder 
prolongation  of  the  operculum  a  black  spot  with  a  bright  scarlet  margin. 

Its  body  is  much  compressed,  very  broad,  oval.  Scales  largo  and 
even.     Forehead  sloping  to  the  snout.     Lateral  line  concurrent  with 


perciUjG  gm 

the  back.  Eyes  largo,  circular  near  the  facial  outlino.  Nostriln 
double ;  mouth  small,  with  very  minuto  thick-set  teeth  on  the  maxil- 
larics,  palatines  and  vomer. 

its  dorsal  fin  has  ten  spinous  and  twelve  soft  rays,  pectorals  twelve 
soft,  ventrals  one  spino  and  five  soft  rays,  anul  throe  spinous  and  five 
soft,  caudal  seventeen  soft  rays. 

There  is  another  well-definjd  species,  the  Black-eared  Pond-fish, 
Pomotis  Apperidix,  which  is  distinguished  by  a  large  lobo-liko  black 
prolongation  of  the  upper  posterior  angle  of  the  operculum. 


i^/jUMnSi 


.Km 


'^i?i 


(^•^>■ 


\\ 


209 


AMERICAN  riSHK*. 


AOANTHOPrKRYUII. 


HCIBNID/fS. 


THE  LAKE  SHEEP'S-HEAD. 

Cortina  Oaeula;  Cuvier. 

This  is  a  very  common  fish  in  Lake  Erie,  and  also  below  the  Falls 
of  ]Mugar»,  where  it  is  readily  taken  with  the  hook,  though  it  is  iu 
very  small  repute  for  its  edible  qualities,  being  commonly  reported  to 
bo  dry,  lean  and  tasteless.     It  is  in  fact  very  rarely  eaten. 

Its  color  is  bluish  gray  on  the  back,  darker  on  the  abdomen  and  the 
snout.     Abdomen  and  chin  grayish  white. 

In  sliap3  it  considerably  resembles  the  preceding  genera,  Grittti 
and  CenlrarcAus,  having  a  gibbous  dorsal  outline,  and  arched  profile, 
t]\i  liit'jral  lin3  boing  also,  as  in  those,  concurrent  with  the  curve  of  the 
back.  The  eyes  are  Lirge,  round  and  prominent,  situated  close  to  the 
facial  outline.  The  teeth  in  the  jaws  are  small,  conic,  and  sharp,  but 
the  palats  and  pharyngeals  are  paved  with  large  rounded  solid  teeth, 
well  adapted  for  cr-ishing  its  hard  and  shelly  prey,  such  as  the  fresh- 
water clams  and  muscles,  cyolas  and  paludina  which  constitute  its 
principal  subsistence. 

The  dorsal  fin  has  nine  spinous  rays,  the  second  dorsal  one  spinous 
and  twenty-eight  soft  rays,  the  pectorals  nineteen  soft  rays,  the 
ventrals  one  spinous  and  five  soft,  the  anal  two  spinous  and  eight 
soft,  the  caudal,  seventeen  rays.  Its  air  bladder  is  very  large  and 
simple. 

This  fish,  if  I  am  not  greatly  in  error,  is  very  frequently  confounded 
on  the  lakes  in  the  vicinity  of  BuflFalo  with  the  Gristes  Nigricans, 
under  the  name  of  Oswego  Bass,*  and  in  fact,  though  of  a  diflFerent 
family,  Scienidee,  does  bear  something  of  general  resemblance  to  that 
species.  It  is  also  found  in  many  of  the  small  inland  lakes  throughout 
the  country. 

*  It  is  more  probable,  however,  that  there  is  no  true  distinction  between  the 
Black  and  Oswego  Basi,  save  in  the  difference  of  condition 


•CtCNIDJB. 


80:4 


AaANTHOPTERYUII 


(fCIENIDA. 


THE  MALA8HEGANAY. 

Corvina  Richardtonii ;  Cuvier. 

This,  liko  the  species  last  named,  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  upper 
lakes,  though  it  is  not  found  below  Lake  Erie.  In  Lako  Huron  it  is 
known  as  the  Sheep''s-Aead,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo  as  the  Black 
Sheep'' i-hend. 

It  affords  very  good  sport  to  the  angler,  and  unlike  its  congener  last 
described,  is  highly  prized  as  one  of  the  most  delicious  of  the  lake 
fishes. 

Its  color  is  greenish  gray,  banded  with  dusky  or  blackish  bars  oyer 
the  back,  its  sidss  are  silvery,  its  belly  yellowish.  In  form  it  closely 
resembles  the  Corvina  Oscuta,  but  its  forehead  descends  in  a  more 
vertical  angle  to  the  mouth.  The  under  jaw  is  somewhat  the  longer. 
The  mouth  is  cleft  back  as  far  as  to  the  middle  of  the  eye,  which  is 
large  and  round.  The  teeth  are  very  numerous  and  very  small.  The 
operculum  has  two  lobes  behind. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  has  nine  spinous  rays,  the  second  one  spine  and 
eighteen  soft  rays,  the  pectorals  have  fifteen  soft  rays,  the  vcntrals 
one  spine  and  seven  soft  rays,  the  anal  one  spine  and  seven  soft  rays, 
the  caudal  seventeen  soft  branched  rays. 

There  is  yet  another  species  of  this  family,  the  Corvina  Grisea, 
known  familiarly  as  the  White  Pearch  of  the  Ohio,  which  is  found 
in  the  waters  of  that  noble  river,  but  it  is  of  little  importance  either 
to  the  angler  or  the  epicure,  and  merits  not  a  more  particular  descrip- 
tion. 

With  this  fish  ends  the  list  of  those  fresh-water  fishes  of  the  United 
States  and  British  Provinces,  which  by  the  most  liberal  courtesy  may 
be  called  game  or  sportiiig  fishes. 

Hence  I  proceed  to  tLa  shoal-water  sea  fishes  of  the  same  division, 
Acanthopterygii,  and  thence,  and  lastly,  to  the  deep-sea  fish  of  the  order 
Suh-hra<Jiial  Malacopterygii. 


204 


AMERICAN    FIfiHES. 


SHOAL-WATER  FISHES. 


Having  now  come  to  the  conclusion  of  that,  by  far  the  most  impor- 
tant, portion  of  my  subject  which  relates  to  the  fresh -water  fishes, 
including  those  anadromous  or  migratory  species  which,  although  they 
make  their  abode  during  a  part  of  the  year  at  least  in  salt  water,  are 
taken  in  sporting  style  in  rivers  and  estuaries  only,  I  shall  proceed  to 
devote  a  few  pages  only  to  these  sea  fish  ;  all  of  the  division  Acanthop- 
terygii,  and  all  of  five  families,  Percidce,  ScienidcBj  SparideCy  Scombri- 
da,  and  LabridcB,  which  are  taken  in  shoal  waters  at  the  mouths  of 
large  rivers,  in  bays  and  estuaries,  and  which  not  only  afiTord  much 
sport  to  the  angler  at  particular  seasons  of  the  year,  but  furnish  a 
delicious  article  of  food. 

These  are  the  Sea  Bass,  or  Black  Sea  Bass,  Centropristes  Ni 
gricans. 

The  Lafayette,  Leiostomus  Ohliquus. 

The  Weak-Fish,  Otolithus  Regalis. 

The  King-Fish,  Umbrina  Nebulosa. 

The  Silvery  Corvina,  Corvina  Argyrohuca. 

The  Branded  Corvina,  Corvina  Ocellata. 

The  Bio  Drum,  Pogonias  Chromis. 

The  Sheep's-head,  Sargus  Oris. 

The  Porgee,  Pagrus  Argyrops. 

The  Blue-Fish,  Temnodon  Saltator. 

The  Tautog — Black-Fish — Tautoga  Americana. 


SCIENID^. 


205 


ACANTHOPl'ERVGU. 


SCIENID^. 


THE   SEA   BASS. 

BLACK  SEA   BASS. 
Centropristes  Nigricans;  Cuvier. 

This  is  an  excellent  fish,  and  a  very  general  favorite  on  the  table. 
It  is  witL  us  a  summer  fish  of  passage,  in  the  Northern  States  I  mean, 
appearing  on  the  coasts  of  New  York  during  the  months  of  May, 
June  and  July,  in  which  it  is  frequent  in  the  markets,  and  readily 
taken  with  the  baited  hook. 

Its  geographical  range  is  very  wide,  extending  from  the  coasts  of 
Florida  to  Cape  Cod,  on  the  shores  of  Massachusetts ;  abundant  in 
the  vicinity  of  Martha's  Vineyard,  it  is  rare  in  Boston  bay.  Properly 
a  southern  species,  though  it  visits  the  waters  of  the  Eastern  States 
in  summer,  it  invariably  returns  to  the  eastward  in  autumn. 

With  the  wonted  stupid  perversity  of  their  order,  the  fishermen  of 
our  coasts  have  confounded  it,  by  means  of  absurd  misnomers,  with 
two  entirely  difierent  species,  the  Blue  Fish,  Temnodon  Saltator^ 
and  the  Black  Fish  or  Tautog,  Tautoga  Americana^  calling  it  com- 
monly by  both  these  appellations. 

The  color  of  the  Sea  Bass  is  a  general  blue  black,  sometimes  more 
or  less  slightly  bronzed,  the  edges  of  every  scale  are  much  darker 
than  the  prevailing  color,  which  gives  the  character  of  a  black  net- 
work on  a  bluish  ground  to  the  whole  surface  of  the  fish.  The  fins, 
excepting  the  pectoral,  are  pale  blue  ;  the  dorsal  and  anal  more  or 
less  distinctly  spotted  with  a  darker  shade  of  the  same  color. 

The  body  is  oblong  and  compressed ;  the  scales  are  of  an  oblong 
form,  covering  the  opercula  and  extending  high  up  on  the  dorsal ;  the 
preoperculum  is  distinctly  toothed  along  its  entire  margin,  the  oper- 
culum has  a  large  spine  on  it,  and  another  above  ;  the  teeth  are  like 
velvet  pile  on  all  the  bones,  those  on  the  outer  edges  of  the  jaws  the 
largest. 


206 


AMEBICAN     FISHES. 


The  dorsal  fin  has  ten  low  spinous,  and  eleven  much  more  elerated 
soft  rays,  the  pectorals  have  eighteen  soft  rays,  the  ventrals  one 
spine  and  five  soft  rays,  the  anal  three  spines  and  seven  soft  rays, 
the  caudal  trilobed,  consisting  of  eighteen  soft  rays. 

This  fine  fish  is  known  by  a  great  number  of  provincial  titles  ;  among 
others  Dr.  DeKay  mentions  the  trivial  names  of  Black  Harry  and 
HanahUh. 

It  is  a  bold  and  free  biter,  and  is  one  of  the  principal  objects  of 
pursuit  by  those  who  join  in  steamboat  excursions  to  what  are  called 
the  sea  banks,  off  the  port  of  New  York,  in  the  process  of  which 
they  are  often  taken  in  considerable  numbers. 


dCIENIOA. 


207 


ACANTH0PTERY6II. 


BCIENID^ 


THE   LAFAYETTE 


SEA    CHUB. 


Leioatomus  Obliquus;  Lacepede. 


This  is  a  beautiful  and  exquisitely-flavored  little  fish,  which  pro- 
perly belongs  to  the  southern  waters,  being  very  common  on  the  coasts 
of  Florida,  where  it  is  much  prized  both  as  a  sporting  fish  and  as  a 
delicacy. 

New  York  is  probably  its  northern  limit,  and  in  the  New  York 
waters  it  is  a  rare  visitant,  though  it  appears  at  times  in  extraordinary 
abundance. 

One  of  the  seasons  of  its  most  remarkable  frequency  happening  to 
be  simultaneous  with  the  visit  of  Lafayette  to  America,  it  thus  obtained 
its  common  name  by  general  consent,  it  never  having  been  observed 
previous  to  that  date,  and  so  taken  for  a  new  fish,  though  it  had  in 
truth  been  defined  long  before  by  Dr.  Mitchil,  who  designated  it 
Mugil  Obliquus. 

Its  color  is  grayish  white,  with  fifteen  or  sixteen  darker  gray  bars, 
more  or  less,  pointing  obliquely  forward,  those  nearer  the  tail  more 
vertical ;  pupils  black,  irides  yellow,  fins  pale  yellow,  the  dorsal  and 
anal  finely  spotted  with  black.  There  is  a  round  spot  of  dark  brown 
on  the  lateral  line  above  the  pectorals. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  has  nine  spinous  rays,  and  is  triangular  in  shape, 
its  fourth  and  fifth  rays  being  the  largest ;  the  second  dorsal  has  one 
spine  and  thirty  soft  rays ;  the  pectorals  twenty,  the  ventrals  fifteen 
soft  rays ;  the  anal  has  two  spines  and  twelve  soft  rays ;  the  caudal 
has  nineteen  branched  and  articulated  rays. 

There  is  a  variety  of  this  fish,  Leiosiomus  XanthuruSy  peculiar  to 
South  Carolina,  which  has  no  spots  or  bands,  but  has  all  the  fins,  and 
more  especially  the  caudal,  yellow. 


Bis?  ' 


208 


AMERICAN  FI8HK9 


ACANTHOPTERVGII. 


SCFENlD.fi. 


THE   WEAK-FISH. 

Wheat  Fish;  Squeteaque,  Checouts. — OtolUhns  Regalia ;  Cuvier. 


;/ 


The  trivial  name  of  this  fine  fish  has  never  boon  very  distinctly 
explained,  some  ascribing  the  title  "  Weak "  to  the  delicacy  of  the 
mouth,  which  when  hooked  often  tears  away  from  the  barb ;  others  to 
the  briefness  of  its  resistance  after  being  struck,  though  at  first  it 
pulls  strongly. 

Yet  a  third  explanation  is,  that  Weak  is  a  corruption  from  "  Wheat," 
because  it  comes  into  season  when  the  wheat  is  ripe  ;  this,  however,  is 
not  the  fact,  as  it  is  an  early  spring  fish,  though  taken  through  the 
summer  months  abundantly  in  the  waters  of  New  York  ;  probably 
both  names.  Wheat  and  Weak,  are  really  corruptions  from  the  Narra- 
gansett  appellation  by  which  it  was  first  known  to  the  English  settlers, 
Squeteaque. 

Its  geographical  range  is  very  wide,  extending  from  New  Orleans 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  where  it  is  styled  "  Trout,"  to  the 
estuar'-  and  Gulf  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  It  has  also,  it  is  said,  been 
taken  it  Martinique. 

It  is  less  common  in  the  New  York  waters  than  formerly,  being 
savagely  hunted  by  its  deadly  enemy,  the  Blue  Fish,  Temnodon  Sal- 
tatory which  has  lamentably  thinned  its  numbers.  Still  it  exists  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  give  very  exciting  sport  to  the  shoal  salt-water 
angler,  and  when  quite  fresh  out  of  the  water  is  a  very  exquisite  fish, 
its  flavor  greatly  resembling  that  of  the  Trout,  whence  probably  its 
southern  misnomer.  When  it  has  been  taken  three  or  four  hours  it 
becomes  flaccid,  insipid,  and  in  fact  utterly  worthless. 

Its  color  is  bluish  gray  above,  with  irregular  lines  of  transverse  spots 
on  the  back  and  sides ;  the  head  is  greenish  blue,  the  irides  are  yellow, 
the  gill-covers  and  belly  silvery  and  nacrous,  the  chin  Salmon-colored, 
dorsal  and  caudal  fins  brown,  pectorals  pale  brownish  yellow,  ventrals 
and  anal  orange. 


/ 

•■       ■ 

^ 

SCIENID^. 

209 

The  bo 

dy  is  Ion 

g,  slender  and  compresse 

d  ;  head  convex  above  the 

syes,  the  scales  moderate-sized,  oval,  covering  the  head  and  gill-covers ; 
the  lateral  line  is  slightly  curved  ;  the  eyes  large  ;  maxillaries,  inter- 
maxillaries,  and  pharyngeals  minutely  toothed. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  is  triangular,  and  longer  than  it  is  high^  of  eight 
weak  spines ;  between  this  and  the  second  dorsal  is  a  single  weak 
spine.  The  second  dorsal  has  twenty-eight  soft  rays,  the  pectorals 
have  eighteen  soft  rays,  the  ventrals  one  spine  and  five  soft  rays,  tho 
anal  thirteen,  and  the  caudal  seventeen  rays. 

Of  this  fish  there  are  two  distinct  varieties,  the  Otolithus  Caroli- 
nensis,  also  misnamed  Trout,  which  is  bluer  on  the  back  than  tho 
Common  Weak-Fish,  and  is  spotted  rather  than  striated  ;  and  the 
OtolitMis  Drummondi,  a  smaller  species  found  at  New  Orleans. 

The  Common  Weak-Fish  is  taken  with  the  hook  and  reel  of  all 
sizes,  from  a  few  ounces  up  to  seven  or  eight  pounds,  and  it  is  posi- 
tively asserted  even  up  to  thirty,  but  I  have  never  seen  a  specimen 
approaching  to  such  dimensions. 


V  I 


WIO 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


ACANTHOPTERYGII. 


BCIENIDiK. 


THE   KING-FISH. 


BERMUDA    WHITINU. 
Umbrina  Nehulosa;  Agassiz. — Umbrina  Alburnnn 

This  admirable  fish,  which  was  formerly  very  abundant  in  the 
waters  of  New  York  and  its  vicinity,  very  few  ever  wandering  so  far 
as  to  Boston,  is  becoming  daily  less  frequent.  On  the  coasts  of  Caro- 
lina and  Florida,  where  it  is  still  taken  in  vast  numbers,  it  is  known 
absurdly  as  the  Whiting,  a  fish  to  which  it  bears  no  resemblance. 

It  is  perhaps  the  gamest  of  all  the  shoal  salt-water  fishes,  and  the 
angler  regards  the  King-Fish  in  his  basket  much  as  the  sportsman 
looks  upon  the  Woodcock  in  his  bag — as  worth  a  dozen  of  the  more 
easily  captured  and  less  worthy  fry. 

His  colors  on  the  back  and  side  are  dark  bluish  gray,  with  lustrous 
and  silvery  reflections,  and  bright  many-colored  nacrous  gleams  flitting 
over  him  as  ho  dies.  His  irides  are  yellow ;  his  dorsals,  caudal,  and 
pectorals  are  dusky  olive  brown,  the  former  the  deepest ;  the  ventrals 
and  anals  pale  yellow.  There  are  several  dark  oblique  bands  on  the 
back,  broken  toward  the  tail,  and  a  dark  horizontal  stripe,  more  or 
less  distinct,  from  the  pectorals  to  the  tail. 

The  body  is  long,  cylindrical,  and  slender  ;  the  scales  round,  the 
lateral  lino  parallel  to  the  back  ;  the  snout  is  long  but  blunt ;  the 
operculum  has  two  strong  flat  spines ;  the  preoperculum  is  serrated 
behind ;  the  branchiostegous  rays  are  seven ;  the  teeth  of  the  upper 
jaw  are  long,  sharp  and  rare,  in  the  lower  even  and  crowded. 

First  dorsal  fin  is  triangular,  with  ten  spinous  rays,  the  second 
dorsal  has  one  spinous  and  twenty-five  soft  rays,  the  pectorals  thirteen 
soft  rays,  the  ventrals  one  spine  and  five  soft  rays,  the  caudal  fin 
has  seventeen  rays,  and  has  its  upper  lobe  acute,  but  its  lower  rounded. 

There  is  said  to  be  a  permanent  variety  of  this  fish,  Umbrina 
Coroides,  peculiar  to  South  Carolina,  which  has  two  spines  to  the  anal 
fin,  and  is  marked  with  nine  dark  vertical  bands  on  the  back. 


SCIENIDA. 


211 


ACANTHOFTERYOII. 


SClENIDiE. 


THE   SILVERY   CORVINA. 

CORVINA   ARGYROLEUCA. 
Silvery  Prarch.    Bodianua  ArgyroUucoa ;  Mitchil. 

This  fish,  which  greatly  resembles  the  Pearch  both  in  shapo  and 
habits,  is  well  known  to  the  fishermen  of  New  York  as  the  Silvery 
Pearch.  It  is  properly  a  native  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  but  ranges  during  the  summer  so  far  north  as  the  waters  of 
New  York.  • 

It  is  a  free  biter,  and  a  moderately  good  fish. 

It  is  of  a  lustrous  silvery  white  on  the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  and 
opaque  white  below.  Its  dorsals,  pectorals  and  caudal  are  pale 
yellow ;  its  ventrals  and  anals  orange  yellow. 

Its  body  is  compressed,  its  dorsal  outline  arched  and  gibbous,  its 
lateral  line  concurrent  with  the  back ;  eyes  large,  mouth  deeply  cut, 
teeth  small  and  disposed  in  bands ;  the  preoperculum  has  two  small 
spines,  and  a  serrated  margin  ;  the  operculum  terminates  in  two  flat 
spines. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  has  eleven  spines,  the  second  dorsal  two  spines 
and  twenty-two  soft  rays,  the  pectorals  seventeen  soft  rays,  the  ventrals 
one  spine  and  five  soft  rays,  the  anal  two  spines  and  nine  soft  rays,  the 
caudal  is  slightly  rounded,  and  has  seventeen  soft  rays. 


212 


AMKRICAN   FISHKS. 


ACANTHOPTERYRIl. 


SCIENIDiE. 


THE  BRANDED  CORVINA. 

Corvina  Occllata ;  Cuvier. 

This  is  a  beautiful  species,  very  rare  at  the  north,  but  is  abundant 
to  the  southward.  It  is  as  excellent  as  it  is  handsome,  and  my  south- 
ern readers  will  recognise  it  as  the  Poisson  Rouge,  or  Red-fish,  of  New 
Orleans,  and  as  the  Sea  Bass  or  Red  Bass  of  Charleston.  Like  the 
rest  of  its  family  it  is  a  bold  biter  and  a  vigorous  fish,  and  is  considered 
superlative  on  the  table. 

In  color  it  is  blue  above,  lighter  below,  with  head,  cheeks  and 
shoulders  of  a  deep  golden  yellow,  with  ruddy  metallic  reflections.  Its 
dorsal  fin  is  dark  green.  Pectorals,  ventrals  and  anal  dull  red.  At 
the  base  of  the  tail  it  has  one  and  sometimes  two  dark  brown  confluent 
spots.  To  these  its  name  of  Branded  has  been  ascribed  by  Dr. 
Mitchil,  as  if  the  marks  resembled  the  brand  left  by  a  heated  iron. 

The  body  of  this  Corvina  is  more  cylindrical,  less  compressed  and 
shallower  than  in  any  others  of  its  family.  The  snout  is  blunt  but 
prominent.  Lateral  line  concurrent  with  the  dorsal  outline.  The 
teeth  in  one  band  in  both  jaws.  The  preoperculum  is  serrated  or 
toothed  along  the  whole  margin ;  the  operculum  terminates  posteri- 
orly in  two  blunt  spines. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  has  ten  spines ;  the  second  one  spine  and  twenty- 
six  soft  rays  ;  the  pectorals  have  seventeen  soft  rays ;  the  ventrals  one 
spine  and  five  soft  rays  ;  the  anal  two  spines  and  eight  soft  rays ;  and 
the  caudal,  which  v  uearly  even,  but  slightly  hollowed  out  in  the  centre, 
has  seventeen  branched  rays. 

It  is  found  in  the  southern  seas  from  eight  inches  to  three  feet  in 
length,  and  in  those  waters  is  one  of  the  most  favorite  objects  of  pur- 
suit to  the  salt-water  angler. 


6<;iENI0>8. 


213 


ACANTHOPTERYUIl. 


SUIKMD.K. 


THE  BIG  DRUM. 

Pogonias  Chromia ;  Cuvier. 
AND 

THE  BANDED  DRUM. 

Pogoniaa  Faaciatus;  Lacepede. 

Both  of  these  fish  are  so  constantly  and  commonly  taken  by  the 
bait  fisher  in  shoal  salt  water  that  it  would  hardly  be  proper  to  omit  all 
mention  of  them  in  a  work  of  this  nature,  although  except  the  great 
size  and  difiiculty  of  landing  the  former,  and  the  rapid  biting  of  the 
latter  variety — if  they  be  indeed  distinct  species,  which  I  think  Dr. 
DeKay  has  satisfactorily  established  them  to  be — they  have  little  or 
nothing  to  recommend  them. 

The  geographical  range  of  both  these  fishes  is  from  Florida  to  New 
York,  their  northern  and  southern  limits  being  identical. 

They  have  both  deep  compressed  bodies,  large  eyes,  lateral  lines 
parallel  to  the  dorsal  outline,  numerous  teeth  in  card-like  bands  on  the 
jaws,  and  the  pharyngeals  furnished  with  large  hard  grinders. 

They  have  both  double  dorsals,  the  former  with  nine,  the  latter  with 
ten  spines  in  the  first — both  with  one  spine  and  twenty-two  soft  rays 
in  the  second.  Pectorals,  respectively,  eighteen  and  twenty ;  ventrals 
of  both,  one  spine  and  five  soft  rays ;  anals,  respectively,  two  spines, 
seven  soft  rays,  and  two  spines,  five  soft  rays ;  caudals  seventeen,  and 
fifteen  branched  rays. 

The  large  fish  is  of  a  brownish  bronze  color,  rather  lighter  below, 
with  a  strongly  marked  spot  behind  the  pectorals ;  scales  silvery  at  the 
outer  edges. 

The  smaller  fish  is  nearly  of  the  same  color,  chocolate  brown,  or 
bronze  intermixed  with  silver,  but  marked  with  four  dusky  bands,  one 
coming  down  to  the  pectorals,  the  second  crossing  the  first  dorsal,  and 


m. 


214 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


the  last  two  crossing  the  second  dorsal.    The  pectoral  Cxs  arc  yellow 
ifih,  the  others  dusky  brown. 

The  smaller  fish  has  boon  by  some  persons  supposed  to  bo  the  young 
of  the  larger  species,  but  this  is,  in  my  opinion,  satisfactorily  contro- 
verted by  Dr.  DcKay,  who  has  seen  them  in  September  six  inches  long 
with  all  the  cli;iracteristics  of  the  adult. 

It  is  known  by  various  popular  names,  as  the  Grvntcr,  Young  Drum^ 
and  Young  S/ieeps-heady  but  is  a  fish  of  very  small  estimation. 

The  larger  species  is  rarely  taken  of  less  than  three  foot  in  length) 
and  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  in  depth ;  they  weigh  from  twenty  to 
eighty  pounds,  and  although  the  large  fish  are  very  coarse,  the  young 
are  considered  by  some  persons  dolicate  eating.  They  rarely  go  north 
of  New  York,  but  very  rarely  visit  the  coasts  of  Massachusetts. 


»"k  r:' 


7^  •:  ^r'..^.:  ^^  -a 


kparida: 


21ft 


AOANTHorrKHVMI. 


SPARlDiT. 


THE  SHEEP'S-HEAD. 

Sargiis  Oris;  Auctomiii. 


This  fine  and  delicate  fish  mubt  on  no  account  bo  confounded  with 
the  fresh-water  Corvince,  two  of  which  pass  by  the  same  synonymo  in 
the  vernacular,  and  are  peculiar  to  the  groat  lakes.  This  is,  on  tho 
contrary,  a  purely  salt-water  species,  never  ascending  rivers,  although 
it  enters  all  the  shallow  bays  on  the  coast,  so  far  as  Capo  Cod.  It  is 
a  southern  fish  in  its  natural  state,  although  during  tho  heat  of  tho 
summer  it  wanders  to  the  northward,  where  it  is  taken  along  the  shores 
from  June  to  October.  Its  southern  limit  is  the  Mississippi,  and  the 
coasts  of  Florida  and  the  Carolinas  are  its  breeding-grounds. 

As  a  delicacy,  it  holds  "the  same  rank  with  Auiorican  gastrono- 
mers," says  Dr.  DeKay,  "  that  the  Turbot  holds  in  Europe.  I  have 
frequently  eaten  of  both,  under  equally  favorable  circumstances,  that 
is  to  say,  within  an  hour  after  being  taken  out  of  the  water,  and  can 
assert  that  the  Sheep's-Head  is  the  more  delicate  and  savory  fish.  The 
Turbot,  I  may  here  state — though  I  have  heard  the  contrary  frequently 
asserted — does  not  occur  on  the  shores  of  America." 

I  have  quoted  the  above  remarks  for  two  reasons,  first  because  I 
desire  to  register  my  assertion  as  against  Dr.  DeKay's,  although  such 
things  are,  after  all,  merely  matters  of  opinion,  that  tho  Sheep's-Head, 
though  a  delicious  fish,  is  not  more  delicate — savory  neither  of  them 
are — than  the  Turbot,  and  that  it  is  immeasurably  inferior  to  it  in 
lacking  what  constitutes  the  Turbot's  chief  excellence,  the  admirable 
gelatinous  fins,  which  have  been  famous  the  world  over  from  tho  time 
of  Domitian  and  Heliogabalus,  arch  epicures  of  old,  to  tho  palmy 
days  of  Ude  and  Carenne. 

Secondly,  I  beg  leave  to  state  positively,  that  although  t/te  Turbot  of 
Europe  does  not  exist  on  the  shores  of  America,  a  Turbot,  and  a  very 
admirable  fish  too,  as  far  superior  to  the  Halibut  as  one  fish  can  well 
be  to  another,  does  exist,  and  is  constantly  takcin  on  tho  shores  of  Mas- 


m 

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'J  10 


AMKRICAN    I'lHHKH. 


i 


miehu8cttM,  althougli,  liko  luuuy  other  cxccUunt  HpcoioB,  it  in  Htrungcly 
umliTvulu  m1. 

But  to  return  to  the  Sht'cpVHciid  :  it  '\n  a  timid  and  wary  BhIi, 
very  difficult  to  hook,  and  whort'  hooked  a  fierce  and  bold  battler, 
exceeding  difficult  to  land,  and  making  a  more  desperate  reslHtaneo 
than  infiuit(!ly  larger  speeicH.  It  is  considered  the  greatest  achieve- 
ment of  the  salt-water  fisherman  to  master  this  king  of  the  seas. 

It  is  occasionally  taken  up  to  seventeen  pounds,  though  seven  or 
eight  pounds  may  bo  considered  the  average  of  largo  fish,  but  like 
many,  I  might  say  most  fishes,  the  smaller  and  middle-sized  run  may 
be  generally  set  down  as  the  most  choice. 

The  Sheep's-Hcad  has  a  deep  coniprcssed  body,  a  head  sloping 
abruptly  to  the  snout,  and  equally  so  to  the  chin  and  throat.  Scales 
l:'.rgo  and  oblong,  smaller  on  the  gill-covers  and  throat  ;  the  lateral 
iiao  is  parallel  to  the  dorsal  outline  ;  the  preopcrculum  is  broadly 
rounded,  the  operculum  emarginatc.  In  front  of  each  jaw  it  has 
several  large  quiidrilateral  cutting  teeth,  and  inside  of  these,  both 
above  and  belov..,  a.s  well  as  on  the  pharyngeals,  are  many  series  of 
large-paved  grinders. 

Its  dorsal  fin  has  twelve  spinous  and  eleven  soft  rays,  its  pectorals 
fifteen  soft,  ventrals  one  spinous  and  five  soft,  its  anal  three  spinous 
and  ten  soft,  and  its  caudal  seventeen  soft  rays. 

In  color  it  is  of  a  dull  silver,  with  coppery  gleams  on  the  back, 
with  five  slightly  arched  bands  of  a  darker  color  crossing  the  back 
and  tail.  The  iiides  are  brown,  the  pupils  black,  girdled  with  a 
golden  ring. 

The  fins  are  all  deep  brown  or  blackish ;  the  head  and  forehead 
black,  with  golden  green  reflections  ;  the  chin  marked  with  smutty 
patches,  from  some  fancied  resemblance  of  which  to  a  Moorland 
.sheep's  face,  its  trivial  name  is  derived. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — Since  writing  the  above,  I  learn  from  the  correspon- 
dent of  a  paper,  writing  hostilely,  that  the  Sheep's-Head  ranges  even  wuth  of  the 
MisBiBsippi.  I  used  tlie  best  authority  I  could  commauu,  nol  uovinj;  visued  that 
country.     1  now  gladly  avail  myself  of  his  matter,  though  "  I  detest  his  manner." 


8l'AUIt);K, 


217 


A()ANTintpTKnv«!ri. 


!<i  auiiia;. 


THE  BIG  PORGEE. 

Piiffrua  Argyropa ;  Cuvier. 


This  is  a  good  and  a  liandsonio  fiKh,  and  would  bo  luoro  valued  if 
loss  common.  It  Ih  a  bold  and  freo  biter,  and  affordn  great  sport  to 
the  salt-water  anj^lor,  boinji,  with  the  Sea  liaHS,  the  principal  object 
of  pursuit  to  those  who  affect  steamboat  excurwions  to  the  fishing 
banks.  Its  geographical  rangu  is  from  Charleston  southward,  to  Capo 
Cod  on  the  north,  beyond  which  it  haa  been  found  impossible  to  natu- 
ralize them. 

The  color  of  the  Porgeo  is  a  deep  brownieih  black  on  the  head  and 
back,  with  green  and  golden  •  .lections,  especially  about  the  neck  and 
sides,  which  are  silvery,  with  brazen  gleams.  A  black  spot  marks  the 
upper  corner  of  the  gill-cover  crossing  the  lateral  lino,  and  there  is 
another  of  the  same  kind  at  the  base  of  the  pectoral  fin.  The  dorsal, 
anal  and  caudal  fins  are  brown,  the  vcntrals  bluish,  the  pectorals  light 
yellow.  The  body  of  this  fish  is  much  compressed,  with  a  gibbous 
outline,  nearly  half  as  deep  as  it  is  broad  ;  the  faco  arched ;  the 
scales  arc  large,  and  the  lateral  line  corresponds  with  the  curve  of  the 
back. 

The  jaws  are  largely  furnished,  as  well  as  thr  pharyngeals,  with 
alternating  series  of  acute  and  paved  teeth.  The  dorsal  fin  is  com- 
pound, with  one  stout  and  twelve  feeble  spines,  and  twelve  soft  rays  ; 
the  pectorals  are  unusually  long,  with  sixteen  soft  rays  ;  the  vcntrals 
have  one  spine  and  five  soft,  the  anal  three  spines  and  eleven  soft,  and 
the  caudal  seventeen  soft  rays. 

There  are  two  smaller  fish  of  the  same  family,  one  well  known  to 
all  fishermen,  especially  on  the  Long  Island  shores,  as  the  Sand 
PoRGEE,  Sargus  Arenosus ;  and  another  far  less  common,  described 
by  Cuvier  and  others  as  the  Rhomboid al  Poroee,  Sargus  Rhom- 
boiiles,  which,  though  very  similar  to  the  Hig  Porgee,  are  clearly 
distinct. 


u 


!  a 


218 


Ac.Vi\rmJi>rtRYuii. 


A.MKR1CAN   FLSHKel 


SCOMBUlU/ik:. 


THE  BLUE-FISH. 

HORSE    MACKEREL,    GREEN-FISH,    IN    VIRGINIA  ;     SKIPJACK,    IN 
CAROLINA  ;    SNAPPING  MACKEREL. 

Teinnodon  Saltator ;  Cuvier. 

A  BOLD,  fierce,  and  well-known  fish  this,  greatly  sought  after,  and 
aflFording  fine  sport  to  the  fisherman,  and  right-royally  good  to  eat 
when  quite  fresh  out  of  the  water,  split  in  two  down  the  back,  nailed 
upon  a  shingle,  and  roasted  before  a  quick  fire. 

It  is  a  singularly  erratic  fish,  sometimes  swarming  on  the  coasts,  and 
again  almost  entirely  disappearing.  It  occasionally  runs  far  up  rivers, 
and  was  taken  in  the  Hudson,  so  high  up  as  the  Highlands,  in  great 
quantities  in  the  year  1841.  It  appears  to  have  been  entirely  unknown 
on  the  coasts  of  New  York  before  the  year  1810,  since  which  it  has 
been,  on  the  whole,  gradually  on  the  increase,  while  in  like  propor- 
tion its  victims,  the  Weak-Fish  and  King-Fish,  appear  to  be  dying  out. 

The  Blue  Fish  is  said  occasionally  to  reach  the  weight  of  thirty-five 
pounds,  but  the  average  run  is  from  three  to  eight.  They  generally 
frequent  the  coasts  of  New  York  from  May  until  late  in  the  autumn. 
Their  geographical  range  is  very  wide,  from  Brazil  to  Massachusetts 
on  the  coasts  of  America,  from  New  Holland  to  Madagascar,  and 
from  Amboyna  to  Egypt. 

The  young  fish  abound  in  the  mouths  of  our  rivers  from  four  to  six 
inches  in  length,  and  even  then  they  will  take  the  bait  with  avidity. 

The  ordinary  mode  of  catching  this  fine  fish  is  with  what  is  techni- 
cally termed  a  squid,  or  piece  of  bright  bone  or  metal,  hurled  out 
from  the  stern  of  a  sailing  boat,  going  with  what  is  known  as  a  "mack- 
erel breeze  "  in  a  sea-way,  and  drawn  rapidly  home  by  hand. 

There  are  many  worse  kinds  of  sport  than  this  ;  the  swift  motion 
of  the  vessel,  the  dashing  spray,  and  the  rapid  biting  of  the  fish,  com- 
bininjr  to  create  a  highly  pleasurable  excitement. 


!    i 


'    If 


SCOMBRID^. 


219 


The  color  of  this  tiih  is  a  light  bluish  gray,  with  deeper  tints  ou  tha 
back,  and  greenish  reflections  on  the  sides,  becoming  silvery  on  the 
belly.  The  pectorals,  dorsal  and  coudal  fins  greenish  brown,  the  ven- 
trals  and  anal  bluish  white. 

The  body  is  oblong,  cylindrical,  compressed  and  slender,  the  facial 
outline  gently  sloping,  the  scales,  which  cover  the  whole  body,  the  head, 
gill-covers,  and  much  of  the  fins  are  of  moderate  size  and  oblong 
oval  form. 

The  lower  jaw  is  longest,  both  maxillaries  are  well  armed  with  sharp 
lancet-formed  teeth  ;  the  palatines,  vomer  and  base  of  tongue  banded 
with  card-like  patches  of  teeth.  The  operculum  terminates  in  two 
indistinct  flat  points. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  is  composed  of  seven  weak  spinous  rays,  the 
second  of  one  short  and  twenty-five  longer  flexible  rays.  The  pecto- 
rals have  seventeen  soft,  the  ventrals  one  spine  and  five  soft,  the  anals 
one  spine  and  twenty-seven  soft,  and  the  caudal  nineteen  flexible 
rays. 

Of  the  same  family  with  the  above  are  the  well-known  Spring  Mack- 
erel, Scomber  Venialis,  of  Mitchil,  and  Fall  Mackerel,  Scomber  Gre^t, 
of  the  same  author,  as  also  the  Spanish  Mackerel,  Scomber  ColiaSy  all 
of  which  species  are  excellent  eating,  and  give  good  sport  in  the  bays 
and  inlets.  They  are,  however,  so  common  that  they  are  rarely  pur- 
sued for  the  sport,  or  taken  except  as  an  article  of  food  and  commerce. 
I  therefore  pass  them  without  farther  notice  than  this  mere  cursory 
mention 


\\ 


220 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


ACANTHOPTERYGU. 


LABRID^ 


THE    TAUTOG. 

The  Black-Fish  of  New  York.— Tautoga  Americana ;  DeKay. 

This,  like  all  the  fishes  last  described,  is  rather  a  general  favorite 
among  both  sportsmen  and  epicures,  though  I  confess  my  own  opinion 
to  be  that  he  is  generally  overrated  in  both  capacities.  As  a  game 
fish  he  is  a  dead,  loggy,  heavy  puller  on  the  hook,  ofi'ering  little  resist- 
ance beyond  the  vis  inertice  and  dead  weight,  and  on  the  table  his  excel- 
lence depends  mainly  on  the  cook. 

The  color  of  the  Black-Fish  is  indicated  by  his  name,  but  varies  con- 
siderably from  deep  dull  black  to  glossy  blue  black  with  metallic 
reflections,  and  occasionally  to  dusky  brown. 

His  body  is  elongated  and  compressed,  the  outlines  of  the  back 
arched  forward  of  the  dorsal  to  the  snout,  straight  posteriorly.  The 
lateral  line  concurrent  with  the  back.  The  eyes  are  rather  small,  the 
scales  small,  extending  over  the  gill-covers,  which  are  very  large  and 
rounded.  The  lips  are  very  thick  and  fleshy,  the  teeth  stout.  The 
branchiostegous  rays  are  five  in  number. 

The  dorsal  fin  has  seventeen  low  spinous  rays,  and  ten  soft  rays, 
the  pectorals  seventeen  soft,  the  ventrals  one  spinous,  five  soft,  the 
anal  three  spinous  and  eight  soft,  the  caudal  fourteen  soft  branched 
rays. 

The  Tautog  ranges  only  from  the  capes  of  the  Chesapeake  to  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay.  He  is  readily  taken  with  the  hook  baited  with  crabs, 
clams,  or  other  small  shell-fish,  from  April  until  late  in  the  autumn, 
especially  in  the  vicinity  of  rocks,  reefs,  hulls  of  sunken  wrecks,  or  old 
deserted  docks,  whero  he  finds  food  in  abundance.  It  is  well  to  bait 
the  ground  largely  for  several  days  in  advance  of  fishing  for  him.* 


•  NoTB  TO  Revised  Edition. — I  have  recently  laarned  that  this  fish,  as  well  as 
llie  Providence  Whiting,  is  becoming  common  in  Charleston,  having,  it  is  believed, 
pofaoed  from  the  car  of  a  fisliing-boat,  and  bred  th^re. 


B.'SP-SEA    FISHES. 


•2-4,  L 


DEEP-SEA  FISHING. 


v.. 


I  HARDLY  hold  myself  justified  in  enumerating  the  Cod,  Haddock, 
Whitmg,  Halibut  and  Flounder  among  game  fishea,  but  as  it  is  proba- 
ble that  some  of  my  readers  do  regard  them  as  such,  and  pursue  them* 
for  the  pleasure  of  the  capture,  independent  of  profit,  I  shall  proceed 
to  describe  the  first  three  briefly,  and  shall  devote  a  few  pages  in 
another  portion  of  this  work  to  a  consideration  of  the  modes  and 
methods  of  their  capture. 

The  huge  Halibut,  Ilippoglossus  Vulgaris,  and  the  Flounder,  Pleu- 
ronedes  Dentatus,  I  shall  content  myself  with  naming,  as  I  cannot 
bring  myself  to  regard  them  as  fit  for  any  but  culinary  purposes.  In 
like  manner  the  Hake,  the  disk,  the  Pollock,  and  many  others  of  the 
Cod  family,  I  shall  pass  in  silence  as  objects  only  of  casual  pursuit, 
excopt  to  the  professional  fisherman,  who  plies  his  daily  toil  to  earn  hi^ 
d.iily  bread. 


m 


yv 


2^2 


.AMERICAN  FISHES 


SUBBRACHIAI. 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


GAnili/Ji:, 


THE   COD. 


Morrhua  Vulgaris. 

This  is  the  common  Cod  of  Newfoundland,  well-known  as  an 
article  of  food  the  wide  world  over.  There  is  an  American  variety, 
Morrhua  Americana,  which  is  slightly  though  permanently  distinct. 

The  fishes  of  this  class  are  distinguished  from  the  other  soft-rayod 
fishes  by  having  the  ventrals  situate  nearly  vertical  under  the  pec- 
torals, and  having  two  or  three  dorsal  and  anal  fins. 

The  color  of  this  well-known  species,  which  attains  to  a  vast  weight, 
sometimes  seventy  or  eighty  pounds,  varies  much  in  individuals.  It 
is  generally  greenish  brown,  fading  into  ash-color  when  the  fish  is 
dead,  with  many  reddish  yellow  spots.  The  belly  silvery  opaque 
white,  t)-  •  fins  pale  green,  the  lateral  line  dead  white. 

The  body  is  long  and  cylindrical,  the  head  sloping  in  an  arched 
line,  the  eyes  large,  the  scales  small  and  adhesive.  It  has  a  cirrus 
or  barbel  at  the  extremity  of  the  lower  jaw.  It  has  four  rows  of  teeth 
on  the  upper,  and  one  on  the  lower  jaw. 

It  has  three  dorsal  fins,  respectively  of  fifteen,  twenty-two,  and 
nineteen  rays ;  pectorals  nineteen  rays  ;  ventrals  six  rays.  Two  aii:ii 
fins  respectively  of  twenty-two  and  nineteen  rays  ;  caudal  forty  rays. 

It  is  a  bold  fipd  voracious  fish,  ranging  from  New  York  northwardly 
along  all  the  coasts  of  America. 


OAOIOJ 


223 


STIDBRACHIAL 
MAI,A(^OPTERVGn 


OA  DIOiE. 


THE   AMERICAN  HADDOCK. 

Morrkua  Mglcfinia;  Cuvior 

The  distinctive  coloring  of  this  fish  is  blaclcish  brown  above,  and 
silvery  gray  below  the  lateral  line,  which  is  jet  black.  The  back  and 
sides  are  varied  by  purplish  and  golden  gleams ;  there  is  a  large  dark 
vertical  patch  posterior  to  the  pectorals,  crossing  the  lateral  line. 

The  fins  are  dusky  blue. 

The  body  of  the  Haddock  is  stout,  anteriorly,  and  tapering  back- 
ward. The  head  large  and  arched.  The  eyes  are  large.  The  lower 
jaw  is  the  shortest ;  the  teeth  small,  in  a  single  row  on  each  jaw ;  a 
sinsle  small  barbel  on  the  chin. 

It  has  three  dorsals,  the  first  and  third  triangular,  the  second  long- 
est, respectively  of  fifteen,  twenty-two  and  twenty  rays.  The  pecto- 
rals have  twenty-one,  the  ventrals  sixteen,  the  two  anals  respectively 
twenty-five  and  twenty-one,  and  the  caudal  thirty -four  rays. 

The  range  of  the  Haddock  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Cod ;  it  is  very 
abundant,  and  is  about  equal  in  estimation  as  an  article  of  food  with 
its  congeners. 


v\ 


224 


subbrachial 
ma:-acopterygti. 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


O  A  DIP  4.. 


THE   AMERICAN    WHITING. 

Merlangus  Americanus. 

This  is,  comparatively  speaking,  a  rare  and  little-ltnown  fish,  that 
which  is  commonly  called  Whitings  being  in  reality  a  Hake  Merlucius 
It  ranges  only  from  Massachusetts  northward. 

It  is  easily  distinguished  by  its  long,  tapering,  cylindrical  body,  and 
its  high,  triangular,  wing-like  dorsals. 

Its  color  is,  above  the  lateral  line,  a  bright  nacrous  bluish  gray,  and 
below  a  silvery  white,  with  fins  nearly  of  the  same  color. 

The  head  of  the  Whiting  is  acutely  prolonged  ;  the  eyes  large  and 
prominent ;  the  gill-covers  rounded  ;  the  teeth  sharp  and  small. 

The  three  dorsals  have  respectively  thirteen,  twenty  and  twenty 
rays  ;  the  pectorals  nineteen,  the  ventrals  six,  the  anals  respectively 
twenty-four  and  twenty-one,  and  the  caudal  thirty-two. 

The  Whiting  is  a  delicate  fish.  It  is  taken  in  the  same  manner 
and  in  the  same  waters  with  the  Cod  and  Haddock,  .and,  like  them, 
has  little  or  no  game  habits.  •  chief  reason  for  inserting  him  in 

this  work  is,  that  his  existence  i      .merican  waters  has  been  doubted 
and  denied. 

•  Note  to  Kevised  Euition. — I  li  ve  just  learnod  from  Mr.  King,  of  Charlesfon, 
S.  C,  that  this  fish  has  lately  been  ,  mnd  in  tneir  waters,  huvingf,  it  is  thought,  es- 
capfid  from  an  Eastern  fisliin^c-hoat  iind  bocmno  naturalized. 


SALMON    riSHINO. 


88A 


SALMON  FISHING. 


Of  all  the  piscatory  sports,  this  is  the  first  and  finest ;  and  although 
it  cannot  now  bo  pursued  by  the  American  angler  except  at  the 
expcnso  of  some  not  inconsiderable  time  and  trouble,  still  there  is  no 
land  on  earth  in  which  it  exists  in  such  perfection  as  in  this. 

Time  was,  when  every  river  eastward  of  the  Capes  of  the  Dela- 
ware swarmed  with  this  noble  fish,  but,  year  after  year,  like  the  red 
Indian,  they  have  passed  farther  and  farther  from  the  sphere  of  the 
encroaching  white  man's  boasted  civilization,  and  perhaps  will  also 
ere  long  be  lost  from  the  natural  world  of  this  era. 

The  Kennebec  is  now  the  western  limit  of  the  Salmon's  range,  and  in 
that  bright  and  limpid  river  he  is  yearly  waxing  less  and  less  frequent 

In  the  Penobscot,  even  to  this  day,  he  abounds  ;  but  for  some 
singular  and  inexplicable  reason,  whether  it  be  from  the  sawdusty 
turbidness  of  its  lower  waters,  or  from  some  especial  habit  of  the  fish, 
he  is  rarely  or  never  known  to  take  the  bait  or  the  fly,  within  very 
many  miles  of  the  mouth  of  that  grand  and  impetuous  stream. 

Far  up  the  northern  and  northwestern  branches  of  the  river  it  is 
speared  constantly  by  the  Penobscot  Indians ;  but  the  white  residents 
of  that  wild  region,  lumbermen  for  the  most  part,  and  sparse  agricul- 
tural settlers,  are  guiltless  of  the  art  of  fly-fishing — the  only  method, 
by-the-way,  except  the  use  of  roe-bait,  whereof  more  anon,  by  which 
much  success  can  be  expected  or  obtained. 

To  the  sportsman,  that  great  track  of  granc'ly-timbered  and  superb- 
ly-watered wilderness,  which  yet  lies  virgin  almost  and  unbroken,  from 
within  a  few  leagues  of  the  ocean  to  the  great  St.  Lawrence,  and 
from  the  Upper  Kennebec  to  the  Aroostook  and  St.  John's,  is  yet 
well  nigh  terra  incognita. 

Yet  well  would  it  repay  the  fisherman  or  the  hunter,  to  pack  his 
traps  in  the  smallest  compass,  and  set  forth  with  rifle,  shot-gun,  and 


« 


220 


AMCKICAN  I'ISHIIt. 


long  Salmon-rod,  via  Augusta,  Norridgewock,  and  the  magnificent 
gorges  of  tha  Kennoboc,  for  that  land  of  the  Moos9,  ths  Doer,  tbo 
Trout,  and  tha  lordly  Sahnon,  thoro  to  encamp  for  days  or  weeks,  as 
his  tasta  for  cxcitemont  and  his  manly  hardihood  should  dictate,  floating 
by  day  in  the  birch-bark  canoe  over  the  bright  transparent  waters, 
sleeping  by  night  on  the  fragrant  and  clastic  shoots  of  the  green  hem- 
lock, winning  his  food  from  the  waters  and  the  wilds  by  his  own  skill 
and  daring,  and  earning  the  appetite  whereby  to  enjoy  it,  by  the  toil 
which  is  to  him  a  pleasure. 

Such  in  fact  is  at  present  the  only  mode  by  which  the  angler  can 
enjoy  truly  fine  Salmon  fishing,  unless  iudaed  he  be  a  man  of  such 
liberally  endowed  leisure  that  he  can  fit  his  own  yacht,  and  visiting 
the  estuaries  of  those  Salmon-freighted  rivers,  which,  from  the  St. 
John's,  round  all  the  eastern  and  northeastern  shores  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, Nova  Scotia,  and  Prince  Edward's  Island,  to  the  vast  mouth  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  and  up  that  splendid  river  and  its  great  northern 
tributaries,  the  Mingan  and  the  Saguenay,  so  far  almost  as  the  heights 
of  Cape  Diamond,  offer  the  largest  temptations  to  the  adventurous 
angler. 

Within  a  few  years,  indeed,  the  rivers  close  around  Quebec,  the 
Montmorcnci,  the  Chaudiere,  and  the  Jacques  Cartier,  abounded  with 
Salmon  ;  and  a  drive  of  a  few  hours  in  the  morning  from  the  Plains 
of  Abraham,  set  the  fisherman  on  waters  where  he  could  confidently 
count  on  filling  his  creel,  even  to  overflowing,  before  night-fall ;  but 
latterly  these  streams  have  failed  almost  entirely,  and  a  sail  of  many 
miles  down  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  mouth  of  the  *  >^enay  or  the 
lordship  of  Mingan,  has  now  become  necessary  to  ensure  good  sport. 

In  the  upper  province  of  Canada,  although  Salmon  run  up  the  river 
into  Lake  Ontario,  and  frequent  many  of  the  streams  falling  into  it 
from  the  northern  shore,  as  the  Credit  and  others,  they  are  very 
rarely  fished  for  or  taken  with  the  fly,  and  ii  is  said  confidently  that 
in  the  lake  itself  they  will  not  take  the  fly  uader  any  circumstances. 

Within  my  own  recollection,  Salmon  wore  wont  to  run  up  the 
Oswego,  and  so  find  their  way  into  all  the  lesser  lakes  of  the  State  of 
New  York  ;  but  the  dams  on  the  river,  erected,  I  believe,  in  order  to 
the  construction  of  the  canal,  have  completely  shut  them  out  from 
these  waters.     I  may  here  observe  that  it  is  very  greatly  to  be  deplored 


SALMON     FISHINQ. 


227 


that,  as  is  compolled  by  law  in  the  Scottish  and  Irish  Salmon  rivers, 
a  small  aperture  is  not  left  in  tho  rivers  and  dams,  if  thoy  bo  above 
twclvo  foot  in  height,  by  which  tho  fish  may  ascend  to  tho  cool  and 
gravelly  head-waters,  in  which  they  deposit  their  spawn. 

Such  an  aperture  or  run-way,  which  nood  not  bo  of  more  than  two 
or  three  feet  square,  would  not  occasion  any  material  waste  of  water 
in  rivers  of  the  vast  volume  and  rapidity  which  are  characteristic  of  all 
the  American  Salmon  rivers,  and,  therefore,  would  detract  nothing 
from  the  utility  of  the  works,  while,  by  suffering  this  most  valuable 
fish  to  ascend  the  course,  and  so  to  propagate  its  species,  it  would  ensure 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  inland  shores  a  delicious  variety  of  food,  and 
create  anew  an  important  article  of  commerce. 

It  is  singular  that  the  Salmon  of  the  lakes  are  never  known  to  enter 
the  Niagara  river,  although  they  are  constantly  taken  at  its  mouth. 
They  might  ascend  it  some  sixteen  or  seventeen  miles,  to  the  foot  of 
the  Falls,  but  I  believe  it  to  be  a  fact  that  none  have  ever  been  taken 
within  the  stream. 

The  cause  of  this  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  groat  depth  of 
the  Niagara  river,  in  its  abrupt  and  wall-like  shores,  and  in  tho  total 
absence  of  gravel  beds,  or  pebbly  shoals  of  any  kind,  on  which  they 
can  deposit  their  ova. 

Again,  I  am  not  aware  that  Salmon  are  ever  taken  in  the  Black 
river,  the  Rackett  river,  or  any  other  of  tho  fine  streams,  all  abound- 
ing with  the  finest  Brook  Trout,  which  make  their  way  from  the 
romantic  region  of  the  Adirondach  lakes  and  highlands,  to  tho  north- 
ward, into  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 

Everywhere  to  the  northward  of  the  great  Canadian  river,  to  tho 
extreme  arctic  regions,  the  Salmon  is  found  in  vast  numbers,  and, 
together  with  the  White-Fish,  or  Attihawmeg,  the  delicious  Arctic 
Grayling,  Back's  Charr,  and  the  Common  Trout,  afford  their  principal 
subsistence  to  the  Esquimaux,  and  to  tho  adventurous  fur-traders, 
whos3  posts  ar(>  dotted  down,  hundreds  of  leagues  apart,  throughout 
those  inhospitable  countries. 

Again,  throughout  the  whole  of  that  huge  territory  lately  won  at 
tho  sword's  point,  by  the  Saxon  energy  of  young  America,  from  the 
degenerate  children  of  old  Spain,  throiighout  tho  British  possessions, 
and  even  in  those  far  northern  shores  which  the  Russian  holds  upon 


'M 


1.  \s\ 


li      \' 


228 


AMKKICAN    FI8I1K8. 


this  wostern  continent,  the  cstuariut)  and  oourses  of  thusu  waters  which 
pour  into  the  Pacific,  can  boast  not  only  the  true  Salmon,  but  many 
fine,  distinct  varieties.  Many  years  will  not  probably  elapse,  taking 
into  consideration  the  incessant  stream  of  ininiigrati  m  which  is  almost 
overflowing  Northern  California,  and  remembering  the  restless,  enter- 
prising energy  of  the  Anglo-American  race,  before  railroads,  oven  to 
the  Pacific,  across  the  western  prairies,  and  through  the  gorges  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  will  open  this  now  world  to  the  adventurous  angler, 
and  the  dwellers  of  the  Atlantic  cities  will  make  their  trips  to  the 
Salmon  rivers  of  the  Pacific  with  loss  trouble,  and  in  less  time,  than 
it  took  their  sturdy  Dutch  forefathers  to  visit  Albany,  now  reached 
with  ease  in  a  few  hours. 

For  the  present,  however,  h  is  needless  to  discourse  of  those  west- 
ern waters,  since  time  must  pass  before  any  species  of  game  will  be 
pursued  for  sport  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  or  killed  except  to 
afford  subsistence  to  a  population  occupied  wholly  by  the  greedy  raco 
for  riches.  To  the  fisherman,  therefore,  the  Eastern  States  and  the 
north-eastern  British  provinces  afford  the  only  accessible  Salmon  fish- 
ing ;  and  I  should  strongly  urge  it  upon  those  who  are  enthusiastic 
about  this  fine  sport,  not  to  waste  time  even  in  the  Kennebec  or  tho 
Penobscot,  but  to  pack  up  their  traps  at  any  time  between  May  and 
September,  and  set  forth  at  once  for  the  city  of  St.  3ohui  ib  New 
Brunswick. 

This  town,  which  might  be  styled  not  inaptly  the  paradise  of  Ame- 
rican fly-fishers,  may  be  reached  with  ease  in  a  few  days  via  Boston, 
whence,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  a  stout  and  well-found  steamer,  the 
Admiral,  takes  her  departure  every  Wednesday  for  New  Brunswick. 
In  St.  John  every  requisite  for  the  prosecution  of  the  sport  can  be 
obtained,  every  information  concerning  the  vast  watcrfl,  and  every 
facility  for  the  procurement  of  guides,  boats  and  the  like  will  be  gladly 
furnished,  and  every  thing  that  hospitality  can  effect  will  be  lavishly 
offered  to  the  gentle  angler. 

I  venture  here  to  mention  the  name  of  an  enthusiastic  and  thoroui^h 
fisherman,  Mr.  Perley,  Her  Majesty's  emigration  officer  in  the  city  of 
St.  John,  as  one  certain  to  do  whatever  in  his  power  lies  to  forward 
the  views  and  promote  the  pleasure  of  any  who  shall  visit  his  part  of 
the  world,  led  by  the  love  of  the  gentle  science  ;  and  I  take  the  same 


SALMON    nttMlNO. 


229 


opportunity  of  thanking  liim  i'or  tho  very  valuable  int'urmution  he  has 

aflfordcd  mo  concoruing  tho  fisheries  and  fishing  of  tho  province,  and 

of  bespeaking  his  friendship  and  attention  for  any  of  my  readoru  who 

shall  be  induced  by  the  perusal  of  these  pages  to  wot  a  lino  in  the 

rapids  of  tho  St.  John,  tho  Obscache,  tho  Chenionpoek,  or  the  Ricbi- 
bucto. 

Before  proceeding  to  describe  the  more  technical  portions  of  JSalmou 
fishing,  and  the  implements  necessary  for  tho  prosecution  of  tho  sport, 
I  shall  take  tho  liberty  of  quoting  from  niysilf  a  chapter  of  a  nove- 
lette now  in  coursa  of  publication  in  GrahitV' 's  exciUont  majiazino, 
entitled  Jasper  St.  Aubyn.  I  do  this  not  egotistically,  nor  altogether 
to  save  time  and  trouble,  but  rather  because  it  contans  at  correct  an 
account  of  tho  raodo  to  bo  pursued  in  casting  foi  tho  Sal'-on,hooV'r  g, 
playing  and  killing  him  in  an  B^.nglish  river,  as  1  am  capable  of  wrii";,|; 
and  because  tho  variety  of  the  narrative  style  may  possibly  jiove  a 
relief  to  tho  reader,  after  the  drier  routine  of  more  did'.'  i'^  writing. 

It  is  scarcely,  perhaps,  neoe.'^sary  to  add  that  the  mc  do  oj  fishing  for 
the  Salmon  in  England  and  America  ore  identical,  tho  tackle  and  im- 
plements the  same,  and  the  same  flies  tho  most  killing  in  all  waters,  of 
which  singular  fact,  and  other  matters  connected  with  which,  I  shall  say 
more  horeaftor.  Nor,  I  presume,  need  I  apologise  to  my  reader  for 
the  slight  anachronism  which  has  attributed  to  an  ideal  personage  sup- 
posed to  live  in  tho  ago  of  the  Second  James  all  the  modern  improve- 
ments and  advantages  possessed  by  the  anglers  of  the  present  day,  and 
all  the  skill  and  sci;nco  which  wore  certainly  not  to  bo  found  at  that 
time  in  any  Salmon-fisher,  not  excepting  even  good  quaint  Father 
Izaak,  whoso  maxims  on  Salmon-fishing,  j.nu  indeed  on  fly-fishing  in 
general,  savor  far  more  of  antiquity  than  ci'  utility. 


"  It  was  as  fair  a  morning  ol  July  as  ever  dawned  in  the  blue  sum- 
mer sky ;  the  sun  as  yet  had  risen  but  a  little  way  above  the  waves  of 
fresh  green  foliage  which  formed  the  horizon  of  the  woodland  scenery 
surrounding  Widecomb  Manor;  and  his  heat,  which  promised  ere 
mid-day  to  become  excessive,  was  tempered  now  by  the  exhalations  of 
the  copious  night-dews,  and  by  the  cool  breath  of  the  western  breeze, 


230 


AMERICAN    FISIfES. 


which  came  down  through  the  leafy  gorges,  in  long,  soft  swells  from 
the  open  moorlands. 

"  All  nature  was  alive  and  joyous ;  the  air  was  vocal  with  the 
piping  melody  of  the  blackbirds  and  thrushes,  caroling  in  every  brake 
and  bosky  dingle ;  the  smooth,  green  lawn  before  the  windows  of  the 
old  Hall  was  peopled  with  whole  tribes  of  fat,  lazy  hares,  limping  about 
among  the  dewy  herbage,  fearless,  as  it  would  seem,  of  man's  aggres- 
sion; and  to  complete  the  picture,  above  a  score  of  splendid  paacocks 
were  strutting  to  and  fro  on  the  paved  terraces,  or  perched  upon  the 
carved  stone  balustrades,  displaying  their  gorgeous  plumage  to  the 
early  sunshine. 

"  The  shadowy  mists  of  the  first  morning  twilight  had  not  been  dis- 
persed from  the  lower  regions,  and  were  suspended  still  in  the  middle 
air  in  broad  fleecy  masses,  though  melting  rapidly  away  in  the  increas- 
ing warmth  and  brightness  of  the  day. 

"  And  still  a  faint  blue  line  hovered  over  the  bed  of  the  long  rocky 
gorge,  which  divided  the  chase  from  the  open  country,  floating  about 
it  like  the  steam  of  a  seething  caldron,  and  rising  here  and  there  into 
tall  smoke-like  columns,  probably  where  some  steeper  cataract  of  the 
mountain-stream  sent  its  foam  skyward. 

"  So  early,  indeed,  was  the  hour,  that  had  my  tale  been  recited  of 
these  degenerate  days,  there  would  have  been  no  gentle  eyes  awake  to 
look  upon  the  loveliness  of  new-awakened  nature. 

"  In  the  good  days  of  old,  however,  when  daylight  was  still  deemed 
to  be  the  fitting  time  for  labor  and  for  pastime,  and  night  the  appointed 
time  for  natural  and  healthful  sleep,  the  dawn  was  wont  to  brighten 
beheld  by  other  eyes  than  those  of  clowns  and  milkmaids,  and  the  gay 
songs  of  the  matutinal  birds  were  listened  to  by  ears  that  could  appre- 
ciate their  untaught  melodies. 

"  And  now,  just  as  the  stable  clock  was  striking  four,  the  great 
oaken  door  of  the  old  Hall  was  thrown  open  with  a  vigorous  swing  that 
made  it  rattle  on  its  hinges,  and  Jasper  St.  Aubyn  came  bounding  out 
into  the  fresh  morning  air,  with  a  foot  as  elastic  as  that  of  the  moun- 
tain roe,  singing  a  snatch  of  some  quaint  old  ballad. 

"  He  was  dressed  simply  in  a  close-fitting  jacket  and  tight  hose  of 
dark-green  cloth,  without  any  Idce  or  embroidery,  light  boots  of  uu- 
tanned  leather,  and  a  broad-leafed  hat,  with  a  single  eagle's  feather 


SALMON    FISHING. 


231 


thrust  carelessly  through  tho  baud.  He  wore  neither  cluuk  nor  sword, 
though  it  was  a  p3riod  at  which  gentlemen  rarely  went  abroad  without 
thasa,  their  distinctive  attributes ;  but  in  the  broad  black  belt  which 
girt  his  rounded  waist  he  carried  a  stout  wood-knife  with  a  buckhorn 
hilt ;  and  over  his  shoulder  there  swung  from  a  leathern  thong  a  large 
wicker  fishing-basket. 

"  Nothing,  indeed,  could  be  simpler  or  less  indicative  of  any  parti- 
cular rank  or  station  in  society  than  young  St.  Aubyn's  garb,  yet  it 
would  have  been  a  very  dull  and  unobservant  eye  which  should  tako 
him  for  aught  less  than  a  high-born  and  high-bred  gentleman. 

"  His  fine  intellectual  face,  his  bearing  erect  before  heaven,  the 
graceful  ease  of  his  every  motion,  as  ho  hurried  down  the  flagged  stops 
of  the  terrace,  and  planted  his  light  foot  on  the  dewy  greensward,  all 
betokened  gentle  birth  and  gentle  associations, 

"  But  he  thought  nothing  of  himself,  nor  cared  for  his  advantages, 
acquired  or  natural.  The  long  and  heavy  salmon-rod  which  he  carried 
in  his  right  hand,  in  three  pieces  as  yet  unconnected,  did  not  more 
clearly  indicate  his  purpose  than  the  quick  marking  glance  which  he 
cast  toward  the  half-veiled  sun  and  hazy  sky,  scanning  the  signs  of  the 
wjather. 

" '  It  will  do,  it  will  do,'  he  said  to  himself,  thinking  as  it  were 
aloud,  '  for  three  or  four  hours  at  least ;  tho  sun  will  not  shake  oflF  those 
vapors  before  eight  o'clock  at  the  earliest,  and  if  he  do  come  out  then 
hot  and  strong,  I  do  not  know  but  the  water  is  dark  enough  after  the 
late  rains  to  serve  my  turn  a  while  longer.  It  will  blow  up,  too,  1  think, 
from  the  westward,  and  there  will  be  a  brisk  curl  on  the  pools.  But 
come,  I  must  be  moving,  if  I  would  reach  Darringford  to  breakfast.' 

"  And  as  he  spoke  he  strode  out  rapidly  across  the  park  toward  the 
deep  chasm  of  the  stream,  crushing  a  thousand  aromatic  perfumes  from 
the  dewy  wild-flowers  with  his  heedless  foot,  and  thinking  little  of  the 
beauties  of  nature,  as  he  hastened  to  the  scene  of  his  loved  exercise. 

"  It  was  not  long,  accordingly,  before  he  reached  the  brink  of  the 
steep  rocky  bank  above  the  stream,  which  he  proposed  to  fish  that 
morning,  and  paused  to  select  the  best  place  for  descending  to  the 
water's  edge. 

"  It  was,  indeed,  a  striking  and  romantic  scone  as  ever  met  the  eye 
of  painter  or  of  poet.    On  tho  farther  side  of  the  gorge,  scarcely  a  hun- 


Wm 


wM 


'iyii! 


mil 


f 


232 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


died  yards  distant,  the  dark  limestone  rocks  rose  sheer  and  precipitous 
from  the  very  brink  of  the  stream,  rifted  and  broken  into  angular 
blocks  and  tall  columnar  masses,  from  the  clefts  of  which,  wherever 
thi'y  could  find  soil  enough  to  support  their  scanty  growth,  a  few 
stunted  oaks  shot  out  almost  horizontally  with  their  gnarled  arms  and 
dark-green  foliage,  and  here  and  there  the  silvery  bark  and  quivering 
tresses  of  the  birch  relieved  the  monotony  of  color  by  their  gay  bright- 
ness. Above,  the  cliffs  were  crowned  with  the  beautiful  purple  hea- 
ther, now  in  its  very  glow  of  summer  bloom,  about  which  were  buzzing 
myriads  of  wild  bees,  sipping  their  nectar  from  its  cups  of  amethyst. 

"  The  hither  side,  though  rough  and  steep  and  broken,  was  not  in 
the  place  where  Jasper  stood  precipitous ;  indeed  it  seemed  as  if  at 
some  distant  period  a  sort  of  landslip  had  occm-red,  by  which  the 
summit  of  the  rocky  wall  had  been  broken  into  massive  fragments,  and 
liurl>Hl  down  in  an  inclined  plane  into  the  bed  of  the  stream,  on  which 
it  had  encroached  with  its  shattered  blocks  and  rounded  boulders. 

"  Time,  however,  had  covered  all  this  abrupt  and  broken  slope  with 
a  beautiful  growth  of  oak  and  hazel  coppice,  among  which,  only  at  dis- 
tant intervals,  could  the  dun  weather-beaten  flanks  of  the  great  stones 
be  discovered. 

"  At  the  base  of  this  descent,  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  perhaps  below 
the  stand  of  the  young  sportsman,  flowed  the  dark  arrowy  stream — a 
wild  and  perilous  water.  As  clear  as  crystal,  yet  as  dark  as  the  brown 
eairn-gorm,  it  came  pouring  down  among  the  broken  rocks  with  a 
J'  ipidity  and  force  which  showed  what  must  be  its  fury  when  swollen 
by  a  storm  among  the  mountains,  here  breaking  into  wreaths  of  rip- 
pling foam  where  some  unseen  ledge  chaftd  its  current,  there  roaring 
and  surging  white  as  December's  snow  among  the  groat  round-headed 
rocks,  and  there  :  'ain  wheeling  in  suUeu  eddies,  dark  and  deceitful, 
round  and  round  sumo  deep  rock-rimmed  basin. 

"  Here  and  there,  indeed,  it  spread  out  into  wide,  shallow,  rippling 
rapids,  filling  the  whole  bottom  of  the  ravine  from  side  to  side,  but 
more  generally  it  did  not  occupy  above  a  fourth  part  of  the  space 
below,  leaving  sometimes  on  this  margin,  sometimes  on  that,  broad 
pi'bbly  banks,  or  slaty  led;j;es,  alToidiug  an  easy  footing  and  a  clear 
path  to  the  angler  in  its  troubled  waters. 

"  After  a  rapid  glance  over  the  well-known  scene,  Jasper  plunged 


SALMON    FISH I NO. 


233 


into  the  coppice,  and  following  a  faint  track  worn  by  the  feet  of  the 
wild-deer  in  the  first  instance,  and  widened  by  his  own  bolder  tread, 
soon  reached  the  bottom  of  the  chasm,  though  not  until  he  had  flushed 
from  the  dense  oak  covert  two  noble  black  cocks  with  their  superb 
forked  tails,  and  glossy  purple-lustered  plumage,  which  soared  away, 
crowing  their  bold  defiance,  over  the  heathery  moorlands. 

"  Once  at  the  water's  edge,  the  young  man's  tackle  was  speedily 
made  ready,  and  in  a  few  minutes  his  long  line  went  whistling  through 
the  air,  as  he  wioldjd  the  powerful  two-handed  rod,  as  easily  as  if  it 
had  been  a  stripling's  reed,  and  the  large  gaudy  peacock-fly  alighted 
on  the  wheeling  eddies,  at  the  tail  of  a  long  arrowy  shoot,  as  gently  aa 
if  it  had  settled  from  too  long  a  flight.  Delicately,  deftly,  it  was 
made  to  dance  and  skim  the  clear,  brown  surface,  until  it  had  crossed 
the  pool  and  neared  the  hither  bank ;  then  again,  obedient  to  the  pli- 
ant wrist,  it  arose  on  glittering  wing,  circled  half  round  the  angler's 
head,  and  was  sent  fifteen  yards  aloof,  straight  as  a  wild  bee's  flight, 
into  a  little  mimic  whirlpool,  scarce  larger  than  the  hat  of  the  skilful 
fisherman,  which  spun  round  and  round  jast  to  leeward  of  a  gray  ledge 
of  limestone.  Scarce  had  it  reached  its  mark  before  the  water  broke 
all  around  it,  and  the  gay  deceit  vanished,  the  heavy  swirl  of  the  sur- 
face, as  the  break  was  closing,  indicating  the  great  size  of  the  fish  which 
had  risen.  Just  as  the  swirl  was  subsiding,  and  the  forked  tail  of  the 
monarch  of  the  stream  was  half  seen  as  he  descended,  that  indescri- 
bable but  well-known  turn  of  the  angler's  wrist,  fixed  the  barbed  hook, 
and  taught  the  scaly  victim  the  nature  of  the  prey  he  had  gorged  so 
heedlessly. 

"  With  a  wild  bound  he  threw  himself  three  feet  out  of  the  water, 
showing  his  silver  sides,  with  the  sea-lice  yet  clinging  to  his  scales,  a 
fresh  sea-run  fish  of  fifteen,  ay,  eighteen  pounds,  and  perhaps  over. 

"  On  his  broad  back  he  strikes  the  water,  but  not  as  he  meant  the 
tightened  line ;  for  as  he  leaped  the  practised  hand  had  lowered  the 
rod's  tip,  that  it  fell  in  a  loose  bight  below  him.  Again !  again ! 
again  !  and  yet  a  fourth  time  he  bounded  into  the  air  with  desperate 
and  vigorous  soubresaults,  like  an  unbroken  steed  that  would  dismount 
his  rider,  lashing  the  eddies  of  the  dark  stream  into  bright  bubbling 
streaks,  and  making  the  heart  of  his  captor  beat  high  with  anticipation 


'.if  i 


234 


AMEKICAN   F1SHK8. 


of  the  desperate  struggle  that  should  follow,  before  the  monster  ohould 
lie  pauting  and  exhausted  ou  the  yellow  sand  or  moist  greensward, 

"  Away  !  with  the  rush  of  an  eagle  through  the  air,  he  is  gone  like 
an  arrow  down  the  rapids — how  the  reel  rings,  and  the  line  whistles 
from  the  swift  working  wheel ;  he  is  too  swift,  too  headstrong  to  be 
checked  as  yet ;  tenfold  the  strength  of  that  slender  tackle  might  not 
control  him  in  his  first  fiery  rush. 

"  But  Jasper,  although  young  in  years,  was  old  in  the  art,  and  skilful 
as  the  craftiest  of  the  gentle  craftsmen.  He  gives  him  the  butt  of  his 
rod  steadily,  trying  the  strength  of  his  tackle  with  a  delicate  and  gentle 
finger,  giving  him  line  at  every  rush,  yet  firmly,  cautiously,  feeling  h\!> 
mouth  all  the  while,  and  moderating  his  speed  even  while  he  yields  to 
his  fury. 

"  Meanwhile,  with  the  eye  of  intuition  and  the  nerve  of  iron,  he- 
bounds  along  the  difficult  shore,  he  leaps  from  rock  to  rock,  alighting 
on  their  s^'ppery  tops  with  the  firm  agility  of  the  rope-dancer,  ha 
splashes  knee-deep  through  the  slippory  shallows,  keeping  his  line 
ever  taut,  inclining  his  rod  over  his  shoulder,  bearing  on  his  fish  ever 
with  a  killing  pull,  staering  him  clear  of  every  rock  or  stump  against 
which  he  would  fain  smash  tKe  tackle,  and  landing  him  at  length  in  a 
fine  open  roomy  pool,  at  the  foot  of  a  long  stretch  of  white  and  foamy 
rapiils,  down  which  he  has  just  piloted  him  with  the  eye  of  faith,  and 
the  foot  of  instinnt. 

"  And  now  the  great  Salmon  has  turned  sulky ;  like  a  piece  of  lead 
he  has  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  deep  black  pool,  and  lies  on  the 
gravel  bottom  in  the  suUenness  of  despair. 

"  Jasper  stooped,  gathered  up  in  his  left  hand  a  heavy  pebble,  and 
pitched  it  into  the  pool,  as  nearly  as  he  could  guess  to  the  whereabout 
of  his  game — another — and  another  !  Aha  !  that  last  has  roused  him. 
Again  he  throws  himself  clear  out  of  water,  and  again  foiled  in  his 
attempt  to  smash  the  tackle,  dashes  away  down  stream  impetuous. 

"  But  his  strength  is  departing — the  vigor  of  his  rush  is  broken. 
The  angler  gives  him  the  butt  abundantly,  strains  on  him  with  a 
heavier  pull,  yet  ever  yields  a  little  as  he  exerts  his  failing  powei'S ; 
see,  his  broad,  silver  side  has  thrice  turned  up,  even  to  the  surface, 
and  though  each  time  he  has  recovered  himself,  each  time  it  has  been 
with  a  heavier  and  more  sickly  motion. 


SALMON    FISHING. 


235 


"  Brave  fellow !  hia  last  race  is  run,  hia  last  spring  sprung — no 
more  shall  he  disport  himself  in  the  bright  reaches  of  the  Tamar  ;  no 
more  shall  the  Naiads  wreathe  hia  clear  silver  scales  with  river-greens 
and  flowery  rushes. 

"  The  crual  gaff  is  in  hia  side — his  cold  blood  stains  the  eddiea  for 
a  moment — ho  flaps  out  his  death-pang  on  the  hard  limestone. 

"  '  Who-whoop  !  a  ni^ieteen  pounder  !' 

"  Meantime  the  morning  had  worn  onward,  and  ere  the  great  fish 
was  brough  to  the  basket,  the  sun  had  soared  clear  above  the  mist- 
wreaths,  and  had  risen  so  high  into  the  summer  heaven  that  his  slant 
rays  poured  down  into  the  gorge  of  the  stream,  and  lighted  up  the 
clear  depths  with  a  lustre  so  transparent  that  every  pebble  at  the 
bottom  might  have  been  discerned,  with  the  large  flsh  here  and  there 
floating  mid  d3pth,  with  their  heads  up  stream,  their  gills  working 
with  a  quick  motion,  and  their  broad  tails  vibrating  at  short  intervals 
slowly  but  powerfully,  as  they  lay  motionless  in  opposition  to  the  very 
strongest  of  the  swift  current. 

"  The  breeze  had  died  away,  there  was  no  curl  upon  the  water,  and 
the  heat  was  oppressive. 

"  Undor  such  circumstances,  to  whip  the  stream  was  little  better 
than  me>'e  loss  of  time,  yet  as  he  hurried  with  a  fleet  foot  down  the 
gorge,  perhaps  with  some  ulterior  object,  beyond  the  mere  love  of 
sport,  Jasper  at  times  cast  his  fly  across  the  stream,  and  drew  it  neatly, 
and,  as  he  thought,  irresistibly,  right  over  the  recusant  fish ;  but  though 
once  or  twice  a  large  lazy  Salmon  would  sail  up  slowly  from  the 
depths,  and  almost  touch  the  fly  with  his  nose,  he  either  sunk  down 
slowly  in  disgust,  without  breaking  the  water,  or  flapped  his  broad  tail 
over  the  shining  fraud  as  if  to  mark  his  contempt. 

"  It  had  now  got  to  be  near  noon,  for,  in  the  ardor  of  his  success, 
the  angler  had  forgotten  all  about  his  intended  breakfast;  and,  his 
first  fish  captured,  had  contented  himself  with  a  slender  meal  furnished 
from  out  his  fishing-basket  and  his  leathern  bottle. 

"  Jaspgr  had  traversed  by  this  time  some  ten  miles  in  length,  follow- 
ing the  sinuosities  of  the  stream,  and  had  reached  a  favorite  pool  at 
the  head  of  a  long,  straight,  narrow  trench,  cut  by  the  waters  them- 
selves in  the  course  of  time,  through  the  hard  shistous  rock  which  walls 


236 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


the  torrent  on  each  hand,  not  leaving  the  slightest  ledge  or  margin 
between  the  rapids  and  the  precipice. 

"  Through  this  wild  gorge  of  some  fifty  yards  in  length,  the  river 
shoots  like  an  arrow  over  a  steep  inclined  plane  of  limestone  rock,  the 
surface  of  which  is  polished  by  the  action  of  the  water,  till  it  is  as 
slippery  as  ice,  and  at  the  extremity  leaps  down  a  sheer  descent  of 
some  twelve  feet  into  a  large,  wide  basin,  surrounded  by  softly  swell- 
ing banks  of  greensward,  and  a  fair  amphitheatre  of  woodland. 

"  At  the  upper  end  this  pool  is  so  deep  as  to  be  vulgarly  deemed 
unfathomable ;  below,  however,  it  expands  yet  wider  into  a  shallow 
rippling  ford,  where  it  is  crossed  by  the  high-road,  down  stream  of 
which  again  there  is  another  long,  sharp  rapid,  and  another  fall,  over 
the  last  stops  of  the  hills  ;  after  which  the  nature  of  the  stream  be- 
comes changed,  and  it  murmurs  gently  onward  through  a  green  pas- 
toral country,  unrippled  and  uninterrupted. 

"  Just  in  the  inner  angle  of  the  high-road,  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
stream,  there  stood  an  old-fushioned,  low-browed,  thatch-covered, 
stone  cottage,  with  a  rude  portico  of  rustic  woodwork  overrun  with 
jasmine  and  virgin-bower,  and  a  pretty  flower-garden  sloping  down 
in  successive  terraces  to  tlie  edge  of  the  basin.  Beside  this,  there  was 
no  other  house  in  sight,  unless  it  were  part  of  the  roof  of  a  mill  which 
stood  in  the  low  gi-ound  on  the  brink  of  the  second  fall,  surrounded 
with  a  mass  of  willows.  But  the  tall  steeple  of  a  country  church, 
raiding  itself  heavenward  above  the  brow  of  the  hUl,  seemed  to  show 
that,  although  concealed  by  the  undulations  of  the  ground,  a  village 
was  hard  at  hand. 

"  The  morning  had  changed  a  second  time,  a  hazy  film  had  crept 
up  to  the  zenith,  and  the  sun  was  now  covered  with  a  pale  golden  veil, 
and  a  slight  current  of  air  down  the  gorge  ruffled  the  water. 

"  It  was  a  capital  pool,  famous  for  being  the  temporary  haunt  of  the 
very  finest  fish,  which  were  wont  to  lie  there  awhile,  as  if  to  recruit 
themselves  after  the  exertions  of  leaping  the  two  falls  and  stemming 
the  double  rapid,  before  attempting  to  ascond  the  stream  farther. 

"  Few,  however,  even  of  the  best  and  boldest  fishermen,  cared  to 
wet  a  line  in  its  waters,  in  consequence  of  the  supposed  impossibility 
of  following  a  heavy  fish  through  the  gorge  below,  or  checking  him  jit 
the  brink  of  ihe  fall.     It  is  tni",  thnt  tliroii;.'liont  the  Ifngth  of  fli  ■ 


SALMON    FISH  I  NO. 


237 


pass,  the  current  was  broken  by  bare,  slippery  rocks  peering  above 
the  waters,  at  intervals,  which  might  be  cleared  by  an  active  crags- 
man ;  and  it  had  been  in  fact  reconnoitered  by  Jasper  and  others  in 
cool  blood,  but  the  result  of  the  examination  waa  that  it  was  deemed 
impassable. 

"  Thinking,  however,  little  of  striking  a  large  fish,  and  perhaps 
desiring  to  waste  a  little  time  before  scaling  the  banks  and  emerging 
on  the  high-road,  .laspcr  threw  a  favorite  fly  of  peacock's  herl  and 
gold  tinsel  lightly  across  the  water  ;  and,  almost  before  he  had  time 
to  think,  had  hooked  a  monstrous  fish,  which,  at  the  very  first  leap, 
ho  set  down  as  weighing  at  least  thirty  pounds. 

"  Thereupon  followed  a  splendid  display  of  piscatory  skill.  Well 
knowing  that  his  fish  must  be  lost  if  he  once  should  aucceed  in  getting 
his  head  (l:)wn  the  rapid,  Jasper  exerted  eveiy  nerve,  and  exhausted 
every  art  to  humor,  to  meet,  to  restrain,  to  check  him.  Fom-  times 
the  fish  rushod  for  the  pass,  and  four  times  Jasper  met  him  so  stoutly 
with  the  butt,  trying  his  tackle  to  the  very  utmost,  that  he  succeeded 
in  forcing  him  from  the  perilous  spot.  Round  and  round  the  pool  he 
had  piloted  him,  and  had  taken  post  at  length,  hoping  that  the  worst 
was  already  over,  close  to  the  opening  of  the  rocky  chasm. 

"  And  now  perhaps  waxing  too  confident,  he  checked  his  fish  too 
sharply.  Stung  into  fury,  the  monster  sprang  five  times  in  succession 
into  the  air,  lashing  the  water  with  his  angry  tail,  and  then  rushed 
like  an  arrow  down  the  chasm. 

"  He  was  gone — but  Jasper's  blood  was  up,  and  thinking  of  nothing 
but  his  sport,  he  dashed  forward,  and  embarked,  with  a  feaidess  foot, 
in  the  terrible  descent. 

"  Leap  after  leap  he  took  with  beautiful  precision,  alighting  firm 
and  erect  on  the  centre  of  each  slippery  block,  and  bounding  thence 
to  the  next  with  unerring  instinct,  guiding  his  fish  the  while  with  con- 
summate skill  through  the  intricacies  of  the  pass. 

"  There  were  now  but  three  more  leaps  to  be  taken  before  he  would 
roach  the  flat  table-rock  above  the  fall,  which  once  attained,  he  would 
have  firm  foot-hold  and  a  fair  field  ;  already  he  rejoiced,  triumphant 
in  the  success  of  his  bold  attainment,  and  confident  in  victory,  when  a 
shrill  female  shriek  reached  his  ears  from  the  pretty  flower-garden ; 
«au'^ht  by  the;  sound,  he  diverted  his  eyes,  just  as  he  liMiped,  toward 


Mt 


f;  ^'i 


^  >l 


I'  *  ■  i'  ■■ 


\\ 


238 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


the  place  whence  it  came ;  his  foot  slipped,  and  thu  next  instant  he 
was  flat  on  his  back  in  the  swift  stream,  where  it  shot  the  most  furi- 
ously over  the  glassy  rock.  He  struggled  manfully,  but  in  vain.  The 
smooth,  slippery  surface  afforded  no  purchase  to  his  griping  fingr-rs,  no 
hold  to  his  laboring  feet.  One  fearful,  agonizing  conflict  with  the 
wild  waters,  and  he  was  swept  helplessly  over  the  edge  of  the  fall,  his 
head,  as  he  glanced  down  foot  foremost,  striking  tho  rocky  brink  with 
fearful  violence. 

"  He  was  plunged  into  the  Jeep  pool,  and  whirled  round  and  round 
by  the  dark  eddies  long  before  he  rose,  but  still,  though  stunned  and 
half-disabled,  he  strove  terribly  to  support  himself,  but  it  was  all  in 
vain. 

"  Again  he  sunk  and  rose  once  more,  and  as  he  rose  that  wild  shriek 
again  reached  his  cars,  and  his  last  glance  fell  upon  a  female  form 
wringing  her  hands  in  despair  on  the  bank,  and  a  young  man  rushing 
down  in  wild  haste  from  the  cottage  on  the  hill. 

"  He  felt  that  aid  was  at  hand,  and  struck  out  again  for  life — for 
dear  life  ! 

"  But  the  water  seemed  to  fail  beneath  him. 

"  A  slight  flash  sprang  across  his  eyes,  his  brain  reeled,  and  all  was 
blackness. 

"  He  sunk  to  the  bottom,  spurned  it  with  his  feet,  aud  rose  once 


more,  but  not  to  the  surface. 


"  His  quivering  blue  hands  emerged  alone  above  the  relentless 
waters,  grasped  for  a  little  moment  at  empty  space,  and  then  disap- 
peared. 

"  The  circling  ripples  closed  over  him,  and  subsided  into  stillness. 

"  He  felt,  knew,  suffered  nothing  more. 

"  His  young,  warm  heart  was  cold  and  lifeless — his  soul  had  lost  its 
consciousness — the  vital  spark  had  faded  into  darkness — perhaps  was 
quenched  for  ever." 


THE    IMPLEMENTS   OF    SALMON    riSHINO 


239 


THE  IMPLEMENTS  OF  SALMON  FISHING. 


Time  was,  when  every  angler  was  required  to  make  his  own  instru- 
ments, from  the  rod  itself  to  the  artificial  fly,  but  now,  so  general  has 
become  the  love  of  this  calm  and  gentle  pursuit,  and  so  multiplied 
and  subdivided  are  all  trades  and  professions,  that  there  are  few  cities 
in  the  civilized  world,  of  any  magnitude,  in  which  it  is  not  easy,  at 
any  moment,  to  procure  anything  that  is  requisite  for  this  pursuit. 

Of  consequence,  the  necessity  for  skill  in  manufacture  of  imple- 
ments has  passed  away,  and,  comparatively  speaking,  but  few  anglers 
think  it  necessary  any  longer  to  be  familiar  even  with  the  method  of 
tying  their  own  flies,  the  tackle-shops  furnishing  every  possible 
variety,  more  neatly  executed,  it  is  probable,  and  consequently  more 
killing,  than  any  could  be  of  private  manufacture. 

Still,  to  tie  a  neat  and  taking  fly  is  a  very  useful  accomplishment 
to  the  enthusiastic  fisherman,  especially  when  he  is  in  wild  and  remote 
districts,  as  frequently  must  be  the  case  ;  and  at  times  some  rare 
natural  fly  will  be  seen  on  the  water,  which  it  may  be  found  expedient 
to  imitate  without  delay. 

The  art  of  tying  flies  is  attained  with  greater  readiness,  and,  in  fact, 
is  far  less  difficult,  than  is  generally  thought,  or  than  would  be  imagined 
needful,  from  the  beautiful  delicacy  of  the  manufacture  in  its  perfection. 
Most  works  on  praf.tical  angling  contain  long  and  elaborate  directions 
how  to  hold,  and  how  to  tie  the  feathers  on  the  hook,  but  all  these  are, 
in  my  opinion,  utterly  valueless  and  futile  ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  any 
person  has  ever  learned  either  to  tie  a  fly,  or  to  cast  it  when  tied,  from 
the  perusal  of  any  printed  explanation ;  any  more  than  the  young 
sportsman  has  ever  acquired  the  knack  of  shooting  on  the  wing  except 
by  practice  and  experience. 

The  best  way  to  acquire  the  art  of  tying  flies  is  to  observe  carefully 
the  manipulation  of  some  skilful  operator,  and  to  obtain  from  him, 
during  the  performance  of  the  work,  oral  instructions  on  the  subject. 


*  I 


:iit:' 


'Iff 


240 


AMERICAN  PISHES. 


From  any  good  tackle-iuaker,  a  few  lessons  can  be  obtained  at  a  verj 
small  expense,  and  these  will,  in  a  yery  short  space  of  time,  render 
the  novice  au  fait  to  the  triek. 

The  first  thing  to  bo  considered  in  the  angler's  equipment,  is  the 
rod,  and  it  is  here  well  to  observe  that,  for  almost  every  sort  of  fish- 
ing, some  difi"erent  and  peculiar  rod  is  essential.  That  which  is  com- 
monly called  a  general  fishing-rod,  is,  in  fact,  an  abomination,  and  is 
useful  only  to  the  bait-fisher,  and  even  for  him  is  an  awkward  and 
ineffective  instrument,  it  being  impossible  so  to  regulate  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  lower  joints  as  to  produce  that  regular  and  equable  degree 
of  pliancy  alike  with  a  stiff  baiting  or  with  a  pliant  fly-top. 

For  the  Salmon,  the  rod  should  not  be  of  more  than  eighteen,  or 
less  than  sixteen  feet ;  the  longer  is  apt  to  be  a  little  cumbrous,  and 
deftly  to  wield  a  double-handed  Salmon-rod,  during  a  whole  summer- 
day,  requires  no  small  practice  of  the  muscles.  The  best  wood  for 
the  butt,  which  should  be  very  stout  and  solid,  is  well-seasoned  maple, 
which  is  both  light  and  strong  ;  the  second  joint  of  ash,  the  third  of 
hickory,  and  the  fourth  or  top  joint  of  equal  parts  of  lance-wood, 
or  split  bamboo,  carefully  spliced  together. 

Many  experienced  anglers  prefer  to  have  their  Salmor.-rods  manu- 
factured without  metal  joints,  but  with  neatly-cut  and  accurately-fitted 
scares,  which  are  adjusted  and  firmly  spliced  together  with  strong 
waxed-end  when  at  the  river-side. 

The  supposed  advantage  of  this  method  is  the  greater  certainty  of 
the  rod's  holding  together  during  a  severe  struggle,  in  the  course  of 
which  a  joint  will  sometimes  be  disengaged  from  the  socket ;  and  a 
greater  equability  of  pliancy  throughout  the  whole  length,  from  the 
butt  to  the  end,  which  is  supposed  to  be  in  some  degree  impaired  by 
the  metallic  ferrules  into  which  the  heads  of  the  ferruled  joints  are 
inserted. 

In  the  present  improved  state  of  the  manufacture  of  all  sporting 
articles,  I  must  however  admit  that  these  objections  are,  in  my  opin- 
ion, very  fanciful,  and  that  the  trouble  of  splicing  and  unsplicing 
greatly  exceeds  the  benefit  derived  from  the  practice. 

Nothing  can  be  more  beautifully  regular  and  equal  throughout  their 
whole  length,  than  the  springy  bond  of  the  best  English,  Irish,  Scot- 
tish, and  American  Salmon-rods  ;  and  I  may  here  record  it  as  my 


THE    IMPLEMENTS   OP     SALMON    PIBIIINO. 


241 


doHbcrato  opinion,  that  tho  best  rods  in  the  world  arc  now  inai\urac- 
tui'od  in  tho  city  of  New  York,  and  tliat  Cunroy  is  superior,  as  a 
fly-rod  maker,  to  either  Chevalier  or  Martin  Kelly,  of  uuivorsal 
reputation.  David  Welch,  too,  has  few  equals,  if  superiors. 
*Vt  Tho  reel  should  bo  very  largo,  capable  of  containing  ono  hundred 
f«»«t  of  twisted  line,  composed  of  hair  and  silk  iuteruiiiigled,  and 
tapering  gradually  from  the  centre  to  each  end,  where  it  should  bo 
neatly  looped  to  a  bottom  of  the  best  and  iM.mtest  Spanish  silk-worm 
gut,  aa  thick,  if  possible,  as  the  32nd  of  an  inch,  to  which  tho  hook- 
links  of  the  flies  should  be  fastened. 

Tho  hook-link  for  Salmon  fishing  should  bo  of  tho  best  strong  gut. 
The  casting-line,  of  the  best  Salmon  gut,  is  to  be  looped  to  tho  reel- 
lino,  and  must  taper  thence  to  tho  hook-link.  Tho  loops  must  be 
whipped  securely  ou  both  sides  with  best  waxed  silk. 

The  casting-line  is  to  be  three  yards  in  length  without  the  addition 
of  the  fly-link.  Every  knot  on  the  casting-line  should  bo  what  anglers 
term  the  water-knoi,  which  is  merely  a  common  knot  niado  by  passing 
tho  ends  to  bo  secured  three  times  around  each  other ;  the  ends  to  be 
well  whipped  as  before. 

The  casting-line  is  to  terminate  with  a  loop,  and  the  fly  is  to  bo 
knotted  with  the  water-knot,  to  a  link  also  looped,  and  socured  by 
waxed  line,  which  is  then  to  be  looped  on  the  casting-line. 

One  fly  only  should  be  used  for  Salmon  fishing. 

The  best  method  of  attaching  the  hand  fly  and  tho  second  fly  to 
tho  casting  line  for  trout-fishing,  when  three  flies  are  to  be  used,  as  is 
often  the  case,  is  entirely  diff"orent  from  anything  hitherto  stated. 

There  is  but  one  knot  which  will  allow  these  flies  to  hang  truly,  and 
that  is  fully  described  with  a  cut  at  page  63. 

It  is  very  desirable  that  the  gut  should  by  dyed,  in  order  to  deaden 
its  silvery  glitter,  which  is  too  conspicuous  in  tho  water,  and  often 
scares  the  fish.  The  best  preparation  for  this  purpose  is  dark  green 
tea,  which  brings  it  nearly  to  the  color  of  water,  when  slightly  discolored 
by  rain,  at  which  time  the  fish  are  most  apt  to  bite  freely. 

Too  much  attention  cannot  be  paid  by  tho  angler  to  the  quality 
and  condition  of  his  gut-lengths,  or  to  the  proper  adjustment  of  the 
knotfi  and  loops  by  which  it  is  fastened.  These  can  .'^  arcely,  indeed, 
be  too  narrowly  or  jealously  scrutinised,  as  gut  is  a  material  which  is 


m^ 


\\ 


t 


^42 


AMERICAN  riAHES. 


easily  frayed  and  cut  by  ita  own  friution,  and  the  Blightest  iinperfectiuo 
will  often  cause  the  loss  of  a  very  heavy  fish. 

The  great  beauty  of  gut  is,  to  bo  correctly  round  and  perfectly  equal 
in  thickness,  which  enables  it  to  stand  a  strain  which,  if  it  were  une- 
qual, would  cause  it  to  give  way. 

The  reel  should  be  of  brass,  which  I  prefer  to  German  silver, 
bushed  and  rivutted  with  steel.  It  should  have  a  balance  handle,  and 
a  click,  which  is  of  great  use,  as  preventing  more  of  the  line  than  is 
required  from  running  off  it  while  in  the  act  of  casting,  before  a  fi(<h 
is  struck  ;  but  a  catch  or  stop  must  on  no  account  bo  used,  as  it  will 
frequently  stop  the  line  at  the  very  nioniont  when  it  should  run  th<' 
fastest.  I  had  almost  forgotten  to  add,  that  the  simple  reel  is  vastly 
preferred  by  all  truly  scientific  anglers  to  the  multiplier,  which  in  fact 
is  now  almost  exploded. 

Tho  fly-hooks  should  unquestionably  be  of  the  Limerick  bend,  and 
even  for  spinning  with  the  parr,  or  fishing  with  the  worm  or  the  deadly 
roe-bait,  all  of  which  are  very  killing  to  the  Salmon,  the  same  form 
is  the  preferable. 

The  great  size  and  weight  of  the  Salmon  renders  the  use  of  the 
landing-net  impossible,  and  it  is,  moreover,  at  the  best,  a  clumsy  and 
unportablo  machine.  For  it,  therefore,  the  angler  substitutes  the 
gaff — a  sharp,  unbarbed  hook,  of  convenient  size,  which  screws 
securely  into  the  head  of  a  stout  ashen  shaft,  the  butt  of  which  may 
conveniently  be  hollowed  so  as  to  contain  spare  fly-tops,  as  it  is  inad- 
missible to  subtract  from  the  weight  of  the  rod-butt  by  hollowing  it. 

With  this  hook,  so  soon  as  the  fish  is  sufiiciently  exhausted  to  be 
drawn  within  striking,  held  in  the  right  hand  while  the  rod  is  trans- 
ferred to  the  left,  he  gaffs  the  fish  steadily  and  sharply  in  the  solid 
portion  of  the  tail  below  the  abdominal  cavity,  which  gives  it  a  firm 
hold,  and  enables  the  lucky  sportsman  to  pull  out  even  a  forty-pounder 
with  but  little  trouble. 

It  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  have  a  stout  knife-blade,  with  the  inner  edge 
sharpened,  hinged  on  the  back  of  the  gaff,  which  will  often  be  found 
of  use  in  cutting  away  any  twig  or  other  obstacle  which  may  entangle 
the  fly. 

A  creel  is  of  little  use  to  the  Salmon  fisher,  as  in  order  to  carry 
any  number  of  these  noble  fish,  one  would  be  requisite  of  the  size  of  a 


THE    IMPLKMENTB   OF    SALMON    rUIIINO. 


943 


olothes-baskot ;  and  such  is  the  weight  of  the  finh,  that,  if  you  expeet 
to  be  BuccesHful,  an  attendant  is  indispensable. 

With  these  instruments,  thou,  a  well-filled  fly-book  in  his  pouch, 
and  perhaps  a  spare  gut  foot-length  round  his  hut,  the  fisherman  may 
doQm  his  outfit  perfect.  • 

A  suit  of  plain  dark  clothes,  a  pair  of  stout  nailed  shoes,  and  heavy 
loose  trowsers  of  the  coarse  Scottish  plaid  worn  by  the  shephcrdi*,  is 
the  best  attire  for  the  sportsman.  India-rubber  boots  are  an  abomi- 
nation, unwholesomely  confining  the  perspiration,  and  ezccMsively 
uncomfortable  from  the  intense  heat  which  they  create  ;  besides,  an 
angler  is  hardly  the  sort  of  person  to  caro  much  about  wet  feet  or  a 
soaked  jacket. 

Having  now  equipped  and  rigged  him,  we  will  conduct  him  to  the 
marge  of  limpid  lake  or  rapid  torrent,  and  see  how  best  his  scaly 
prey  he  may  ensnare. 

In  order  to  become  a  fly-fisher,  I  think  that  something  of  an 
especial  genius  is  necessary — I  mean  a  fly-flsher  in  the  highest  sense 
of  the  word,  and  regarded  in  the  same  light  as  the  sportsman  whom 
we  can  deservedly  term  a  crack-shot. 

Still,  although  something  of  a  natural  and  inherent  aptitude  is 
necessary,  practice,  experience,  and  a  love  of  the  art,  go  so  far  that 
no  one  who  really  desires  to  attain  eminence  in  this  skill  need  despair, 
for  perhaps  no  one  very  keenly  desires  it  who  has  not  that  aptitude, 
though  perhaps  latent,  and  even  of  himself  unsuspected. 

To  teach  a  man,  as  I  have  said  before,  by  writing  or  even  by  oral 
instruction,  unless  coupled  with  active  practice  and  example,  how  to 
make  a  fly,  how  to  cast  a  fly,  how  to  hook  a  fish,  or  how,  when  hooked, 
to  kill  him,  is  to  my  apprehension  impossible.  Yet  without  some 
instructions  on  this  subject,  a  work  on  Fishing  would  justly  be  deemed 
imperfect,  and  perhaps  even  impertinent. 

After  the  first  slight  skill  is  attained  which  enables  a  fisherman  to 
cast  a  fly  at  all  without  whipping  it  off  the  hook-length,  the  groat 
points  to  be  acquired  are,  precision  in  casting,  and  neatness  in  deliver- 
ing the  fly. 

In  Salmon  fishing  with  the  double-handed  rod,  all  these  things  are 
somewhat  more  difficult  than  with  the  light  twelve-foot  Trout-rod,  and 
more  practice  is  requisite  before  perfection  can  be  gained ;  yet  the 


1244 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


mode  is  identical,  and  the  instructions  which  alone  can  be  given  aro 
alike  few  and  simple.  '■■ 

The  first  thing  to  be  observed  is,  that  the  rod  must  not  be  firmly 
grasped,  but  held  with  a  loose  and  delicate  play  of  the  thumb  and 
fingers,  as  a  cue  should  in  billiard  playing,  or  a  foil  in  fencing. 
Secondly,  that  in  throwing  out  the  fly,  nothing  like  a  jerk  or  snap 
should  be  performed,  such  as  is  done  with  a  four-horse  whip  in  flank- 
ing a  leader.  It  is  very  difficult  to  explain,  except  by  comparison, 
what  that  movement  is ;  but  it  may  perhaps  be  described  as  by  a 
sudden  checking  of  the  propelling  power,  or  as  almost  a  retroversion 
of  it  at  the  moment  of  its  greatest  impetus,  somewhat  such  as  that 
which  is  termed  spinning,  or  Englishing,  a  ball  at  billiards. 

The  rod  being  held  lightly  in  the  fingers,  the  butt  of  it  must  be  so 
moved  in  front  of  the  person,  with  all  the  muscles  of  the  arm  relaxed, 
the  elbow  and  the  wrist  free  and  pliant,  that  the  tip  shall  describe  a 
complete  circle  above  and  something  behind  the  head,  and  it  will  be 
not  amiss  for  the  tyro  to  practise  this  motion  without  attempting  to 
cast  as  yet  any  line. 

Secondly,  it  must  be  remembered,  when  the  line  and  fly  is  brought 
into  play,  that  by  the  circular  motion  of  the  tip,  the  whole  line,  with 
its  cast  of  flies,  must  be  made  to  stream  out  at  full  length,  and  to 
describe  a  semicircle,  so  that  at  the  instant  previous  to  propulsion,  if 
we  desire  to  throw  directly  forward,  the  flies  shall  be  at  the  whole 
length  of  the  extended  line,  exactly  behind  us ;  when  they  must  be 
thrown  out  by  a  direct  and  even  motion,  without  any  jerk,  and  yet 
must  be  in  some  sort  checked  rather  by  a  gradual  holding  up  or 
cessation  of  the  impelling  force,  than  by  any  sudden  stop  or  retro- 
gression. 

The  mode  of  casting  which  I  have  endeavored  to  describe  for  a 
forward  throw,  must  be  used  in  all  cases ;  if  to  the  right,  the  line 
must  stream  out,  and  the  flies  be  extended  at  full  length  to  the 
extreme  loft,  and  vice  versa ;  and  this  is  the  method  by  which  accu- 
racy and  precision  in  casting  can  be  acquired,  and  by  perseverance  in 
which,  with  experience,  the  fisherman  will  ultimately  succeed  in 
throwing  his  stretcher,  or  last  fly,  with  certainty  into  a  smaller  circum- 
ference than  that  of  his  own  hat. 
This  it  is  which  we  call  precision. 


THE    IMPLEMENTS   OV    SALMON    FISHING. 


245 


By  neatness,  we  intend  the  knack  of  so  delivering  the  line  that  each 
one  of  the  cast  of  flies  shall  alight  upon  the  surface  of  the  water 
singly  and  severally,  and  as  lightly  as  the  thistle-down,  without  any 
portion  of  the  foot-length,  much  less  of  the  line,  bagging  or  falling  in 
a  bight  upon  the  stream. 

This  delivering  of  the  cast  at  the  end  of  a  perfectly  straight,  yet 
perfectly  easy  line,  is  the  first  great  thing  to  be  obtained.  If  we 
attempt  to  throw  the  flies,  except  after  having  made  them  describe  a 
full  semicircle  in  the  direction  opposite  to  the  purposed  cast,  we  shall 
throw  them  nowhere. 

If  we  fling  out  the  whole  line  loosely,  it  will  fall  in  a  baggy  bight 
upon  the  water,  probably  striking  the  surface  in  advance  of  the  flies, 
and  certainly  making  a  splash  and  scaring  away  the  fish  which  we 
desire  to  allure. 

If  we  check  it  too  suddenly,  or  jerk  it  back  at  all,  we  shall  snap  off 
all  our  flies  with  a  loud  crack,  and  so  remain  disarmed  and  useless 
for  the  nonce. 

In  practising,  the  novice  should  use  but  a  short  line,  five  or  six  yards 
at  the  utmost,  and  a  single  fly — and  when  he  can  throw  that  with 
certainty  into  a  space  of  a  few  feet  in  circumference,  he  may  gradually 
let  out  his  line  till  he  has  reached  fifteen  yards,  which  I  regard  as  the 
extreme  length  that  can  be  managed  with  certainty,  neatness,  and 
precision,  and  add  to  the  stretcher  his  first  and  second  droppers,  more 
than  which  are  wholly  useless. 

Having  said  thus  much  of  the  mode  of  casting  the  flies,  we  will 
suppose  our  angler  clad  in  the  plainest  and  least  obtrusive  colors,  at 
the  margin  of  the  stream,  if  it  be  su'ih  as  he  can  command  with  his 
double-handed  rod,  or  wading  it  if  not  too  deep,  or  in  his  boat  if  it  be 
too  broad  to  be  oast  over  successfully. 

First,  he  shall  go  down  stream  ;  for  the  motion  of  the  water  will  so 
keep  his  line  taut,  the  benefit  of  which  hereafter  ;  and  he  will  also 
have  fewer  casts  to  make,  and  find  less  trouble  in  giving  a  natural  and 
easy  movement  to  the  artificial  insect,  which  he  must  keep  ever  floating 
on  the  surface.  Furthermore,  the  fish  are  wont  to  lie,  especially  in 
swift  waters,  with  their  heads  up  stream,  and  will  therefore  perhaps 
take  the  fiy  most  readily  when  cast  down,  and  drawn  gently  over  them. 

Secondly,  he  must  on  no  account  fish  with  the  sun  behind  his  back, 


•tl^l 


246 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


m  ii 


for,  if  he  do,  the  shadow  of  his  body,  with  his  anus  thrashing  the  air, 
and  the  counterfeit  presentment  of  his  long  rod  vibrating  aloft,  will 
be  thrown  on  the  bright  surface  of  the  waters  in  such  a  manner  as 
will  undoubtedly  alarm  the  fish  ;  which,  however  much  doubt  there 
may  exist  as  to  their  powers  of  auscultation,  no  one  will  deny  to  be 
capable  of  quick  vision. 

Thirdly,  he  shall  not  so  draw  his  fly  along  the  surface  as  to  give  it 
the  appearance  or  reality  of  floating  up  stream  ;  for  flies  do  not  in 
natui'e  float  up  stream ;  nor  do  the  Trout  or  Salmon,  although  they 
may  never  have  studied  logic,  and  are  probably  incapable  of  deducing 
consequences  from  causes,  lack  the  ability  to  discern  what  is,  from 
what  is  not,  natural. 

Across  the  stream  he  may  bring  it  gently  and  coquettishly  home, 
with  a  slow  whirling  rotatory  motion,  letting  it  swim  down  in  the 
swifter  whirls  of  the  stream,  and  float  round  and  round  in  the  eddies, 
with  this  special  observance,  that  he  shall,  in  so  far  as  he  can,  keep  it 
ever  at  the  end  of  a  tight  line,  for  so  only  will  the  fish  hook  itself, 
without  any  movement  of  the  hand  on  the  angler's  part — an  end  most 
desirable  to  effect. 

Both  Salmon  and  Trout  lie  in  wait  for  their  prey,  for  the  most  part, 
rather  than  swim  in  pursuit  of  it  in  schuUs  or  companies.  They  are 
often,  I  would  say  generally,  found  in  pairs,  and  therefore,  after  killing 
one  in  any  favorable  pool  or  eddy,  it  will  be  well  not  too  soon  to  desert 
the  spot,  even  although  it  may  have  been  disturbed  by  the  bustle  and 
burly  of  the  first  capture. 

The  tail  of  swift  rapids,  where  some  large  stone  breaks  the  force 
of  the  current,  and  causes  a  lull,  or,  as  one  would  say  of  wind,  a  lee, 
will  always  be  found  a  likely  spot  wherein  to  cast ;  and  in  pools,  be- 
tween two  rapids  or  cascades,  the  head  and  the  foot,  immediately 
above  the  one  and  below  the  other  descent,  will  generally  each  hold 
a  fish. 

Still  clear  deep  reaches  will  again  be  found  to  contain  many  times 
the  most,  and  often  the  largest  fishes,  especially  of  Brook  Trout ; 
and  these  places  require  the  neatest  and  the  finest  fishing,  for  two 
very  sufficient  reasons  j  first,  that  the  transparency  of  the  water  enables 
the  fish  clearly  to  discern  the  angler,  unless  he  stand  well  back  from 
the  margin  of  th*^  bank  ;  and,  secondly,  that  its  stillnoHP  nllowH  all  the 


THE    IMPLEMENTS    OF    SALMON    FISHING. 


247 


imperfections  of  the  artificial  fly,  and  perhaps  the  gut  to  which  it  ia 
appsndDd,  to  ba  discovered  by  the  intended  victim. 

In  nothing  is  piscatory  skill  more  distinctly  evidenced,  than  by  th« 
instinctive  accuracy  with  which,  in  whipping  a  stream,  the  practical 
angler  will  discern  what  places  to  fish  closely,  accurately,  neatly  ;  which 
to  pass  over  lightly — in  other  words,  which  are  more  and  which  are 
most  unlikely  to  hold  the  objects  of  his  pursuit ;  and  this  skill,  this 
power,  like  that  of  casting  the  fly,  or  even  in  a  greater  dogree  than 
that,  can  be  gained  only  by  dint  of  long  practice  and  accurate  obser- 
vation. 

As  I  had  occasion  to  remark,  not  once,  but  many  times,  in  my 
"  Field  Sports,"  cceteris  paribus  of  eye,  hand  and  nerves,  on  which 
almost  everything  depends,  the  closest  observer  of  nature,  the  most 
diligent  inquirer  into  the  actions,  the  habits,  the  prey,  the  haunts,  the 
every-day  life  of  the  bird  or  beast  which  he  is  pursuing — in  other 
words,  the  best  naturalist — will  be  the  best  and  most  successful  sports- 
man ;  and  so  it  is,  and  perhaps  even  more  so,  in  the  case  of  the 
angler.  And,  indeed,  after  years  spent  in  this  exciting  and  yet  .rreutle 
pursuit,  the  angler  will  ever  flnd  that  he  has  something  still  to  learn, 
that  he  has  gained  something  daily,  if  he  keep  his  cars,  his  eyes,  his 
mind  open  to  the  sounds,  the  sights,  the  beautiful  provisions  of  nature. 

In  large  lakes,  which  must  be  fished  ivo\i\  boats,  the  vicinity  et  the 
shores,  the  edges  of  shoals,  and  the  holes  i?i  the  close  neighborhood  of 
large  rocks  or  boulders  which  cause  c^ldiep.iViod  aoov^  all  the  entrances 
or  outlets  of  streams,  brooks  and  rivfrs,  are  the  Iv'/.eliest  places  in 
which  to  find  Salmon,  but  not  reedy  bi  iks  or  weed  beds,  as  is  the  case 
with  the  Pickerel  and  Mascalonge  ;  iui  1  c-\?h  spots  as  these  deserve 
the  utmost  care  and  attsntion  of  aaglers.  And  now,  I  believe  that  I 
have  said  all  that  I  can  say  about  the  casting  of  the  fly,  and  the  places 
into  which  it  should  be  cast  in  order  to  ensure  the  first  success,  the 
getting  a  rise,  I  mean,  from  this  noblest  of  fishes.  Little  is  done,  how- 
ever, in  getting  this  rise,  unless  we  know  how  to  stri^v."',  and  how  to  kill 
him  when  ho  has  risen.  On  this  head,  perhaps,  it  might  be  said  that 
the  art  of  striking  a  fish,  or  so  handling  the  rod  that  the  barbed  hook 
shall  be  buried  securely  and  quickly,  or  ere  the  fish  hiw  time  to  dis- 
cover that  the  gaudy  bait  is  an  unreal  mockery,  without  substance  or 
savor,  consists  in  knowing  what  is  nol.^  rather  than  what  is  to  be  done. 


'Ill 


248 


AJfEBICAS   FISHES. 


Very  certain  it  is  that  the  fly  must  no*  bo  jerked  or  twitched  away 
quickly,  as  is  done  by  ninety-nvno  hundredths  of  novices,  who  thereby 
instead  of  fixing  tlie  bait  in,  flirt  it  out  of  th';  mouth  of  the  Salmon 
and  probably  prick  him  in  doing  so,  rendering  him  thereby  shy  of 
again  looking  at  the  bait,  and  teaching  him  a  lesson,  which  he  may 
not  forget  in  many  days. 

At  two  moments  only,  of  the  ordinary  cast  of  a  fly,  is  the  fish  nearly 
sure  to  hook  himself — that  is,  when  it  first  alights  on  the  surface  of 
the  stream,  and  when  it  is  in  the  very  act  of  being  withdrawn  from  it, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  fresh  throw — for  at  those  two  moments 
only  is  it  necessarily  at  the  end  of  a  taut  extended  line.  When  a 
fish  strikes  boldly  at  either  of  those  two  points  of  time,  it  is  very  sure 
to  i'.ook  itsi'lf  without  any  exertion  of  the  angler  ;  but  if  the  line  is  in 
the  slightest  degree  curved  or  baggy,  unless  there  is  a  certain  almost 
indescribable  movement  of  the  wrist,  the  fly  will  oft:n  be  rejected, 
owing  to  the  discovery  of  its  quality,  and  the  fish  will  so  escape  scot- 
free. 

This  striking  I  have  seen  variously  described,  but  never,  in  my 
opinion,  comprehensibly.  I  consider  that  the  great  thing  in  fly-fish- 
ing is  to  keep  the  line  always  as  straight  as  possible,  never  allowing 
any  portion  of  it  to  float  on  the  water,  and  to  have  the  fly  never  sub- 
merged, nor  yet  skipping,  but  tr.'Hed  evenly  olong  the  ripples,  as  if  it 
were  naturally  floating  down,  at  the  end  of  a  straight  extended  line. 
By  this  method,  the  chances  of  striking  your  Salmon,  without  any  cflbrt 
on  your  own  part,  will  be  hugely  increased.  If,  however,  it  be  found 
necessary  to  strike,  this  must  uot  be  done  by  a  jerk  or  backward  whip 
movement  of  the  rod,  but  by  the  slightest  possible  turn  of  the  wrist 
inward  and  downward — what  that  turn  is,  every  angler  knows,  but  it 
certainly  canrot  be  described  in  writing,  nor  can  it  Ije,  I  think,  very 
easily  demonstrated — so  exceeding  slight  it  is — by  example. 

More  fish  are,  in  my  opinion,  lost  by  clumsiness,  and  especially  by 
over-violence  at  this  moment,  than  at  any  other  time ;  the  utmost 
caution,  therefore,  and  delicacy  of  manipulation,  are  indispensable  ; 
and  at  first,  until  he  has  killed  some  fish,  and  olitained  some  practical 
experience  in  the  art,  I  confidently  advise  the  novico  to  beware  of 
striking;  to  allow  the  fish,  if  possible,  to  hook  himself;  and  rather  to 
lose  him  from  hiu  not  doing  so,  than  from  his  own  act  by  whipping  tho 


THE    IMPLEMENTS    OF    SALMON    FISHING. 


249 


half-swallowed  fly  out  of  his  imperilled  jawa  If  strike  he  must,  let 
him  do  it  with  tho  loast  possible  force  or  cxortion. 

Whsn  fiist  a  large  and  livoly  fish  fools  the  hook,  he  will  not  unfre- 
quontly,  if  chocked  suddenly,  throw  himself  clear  out  of  the  water  to 
the  height  of  several  feet,  and  so  endeavor  to  cast  himself  across  the 
tightened  line,  which,  if  he  succeed  in  doing,  he  shall  break  it  surely, 
and  escape.  The  counter-movement  to  this  dodge,  which  is  often 
repeated  many  times  in  rapid  succession,  is  to  sink  the  top  of  the  rod 
quickly,  so  as  to  slacken  the  line,  and  suifer  the  fish  to  strike  it  only 
when  lying  in  a  bight  on  the  water  ;  but  care  must  again  bo  taken 
here  to  reel  it  in  again  quickly,  lest  it  may  become  entangled  by  the 
fish  rushing  suddenly  in  towards  the  angler. 

Beyond  this  there  is  not  much  to  say  on  the  score  of  playing  a 
hooked  fish  ;  the  great  end  and  object  is  to  keep  him,  with  as  heavy 
a  strain  as  you  can  venture  to  support  upon  his  mouth,  with  his  head 
down  stream  5  for  in  that  position  the  water  enters  his  gills  the  wrong 
way,  so  that  the  vital  principle  of  the  oxygen  cannot  be  separated  from 
it  by  the  branchial  apparatus,  and  the  fish  naturally  dies  by  suffoca- 
tion, or  by  something  analogous  to  drowning. 

To  effect  this,  very  much  delicacy  and  nicety  of  touch  are  requisite  ; 
the  rushes  of  the  fish  are  sometimes  of  fearful  impetus  and  velocity, 
and  sustained  for  such  a  length  cf  time  as  to  take  nearly  all  the  line 
off  the  reel,  and  to  compel  the  angler  to  run  at  full  speed,  up  or  down 
the  bank,  as  it  may  be,  in  order  to  avoid  smashing  his  tackle.  It  is 
■<voil  here  to  observe,  that  it  is  in  all  cases  the  best  plan  to  follow  your 
fish  as  early  in  the  game,  and  as  rapidly,  as  you  can,  rather  than  to  let 
off  too  much  line,  as  you  thereby  keep  30  much  in  hand  for  an 
emergency. 

The  great  principle  is,  to  make  the  fish  pull  as  hard  as  possible 
without  ceding  line,  and  never  to  give  him  an  inch  that  ho  does  not 
exact  from  you  by  force  ;  the  knowledge  of  the  exact  amount  of  re- 
sistance which  you  may  offer,  and  of  the  when  exactly  and  how  much 
you  must  yi^ld,  is  the  grand  proof  of  the  Salmon-fisher's  science.  If 
1)0  run  for  a  rock,  against  which  to  smash  your  tackle,  or  for  a  cascade 
or  cataract,  over  which  you  cannot  pilot  him  with  a  hope  of  success, 
you  must  resist  him  to  th"!  last,  which  is  done  by  advancing  the  butt, 
firmly  grasped,  toward  him,  and  bearing  your  rod  backward  over  your 


i-'tf^ji*! 


'.If 


2:-)0 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


Ill     ij. 

I  n 


right  shoulder,  thereby  compelling  him  to  strain  out  the  line,  the 
velocity  of  which  you  must  regulate  with  the  ball  of  your  thumb,  inch 
by  inch  from  the  reel,  against  the  whole  reluctance  and  spring  of  the 
elastic  rod. 

When  the  fish  runs  in,  the  rod  must  be  hold  n.^arly  erect,  and  the 
line  reeled  in  as  quickly  as  possible.  If  the  fish  turn  sulky,  as  he  will 
sometimes,  and  plunge  down  to  the  bottom,  lying  there  like  a  stone  or 
a  lump  of  bad,  ho  must  be  aroused  and  forced  to  run  again  by  a  peb- 
h\i  cast  in  as  closely  as  may  be  to  the  spot  where  he  li-^s,  and  then  his 
run  must  be  alternately  humored  and  controlled,  likr  ihe  whims  of  a 
pretty  woman,  until  his  resistance  is  overpowerec'^  and,  like  her,  he 
yir^Uls  him  to  your  will. 

The  fly  is,  as  I  have  before  observed,  by  far  the  most  eflfectivc  and 
I'illing  bait  for  the  Salmon,  although  it  is  very  doubtful  for  what  the 
animal  mistakes  it,  since  it  has  no  res^'aiblance  in  nature.  The  best  are, 
in  my  opinion,  combinations  of  f  jacock  herl,  and  jay's  wing,  with 
body  of  pink,  blue  or  green  silk  twined  with  gold  or  silver  tinsel ;  there 
.are,  however,  many  other  gay  and  gaudy  feathers  which  are  nearly 
equally  killing,  and  every  fisherman  has  his  own  favorites.  The  ac- 
companying plate  containa  at  No.  1,  representations  of  several  varie- 
ties of  Salmon-flies,  and  at  No.  2  of  Lake-flies  for  great  Trout,  which  I 
know  to  be  killing,  as  I  know  them  to  be  beautiful — and  which  were 
prepared  especially  for  this  work,  to  my  order,  by  the  Conroys  of  Ful- 
ton-street, New  York,  of  whom  I  have  already  spoken  as,  in  my  opin- 
ion, the  best  rod  and  tackle  maker  in  America,  if  not  perhaps  in  the 
world. 

The  Salmon,  especially  when  quite  fresh-run  from  the  sea,  will  take 
tho  worm  at  times  greedily  ;  for  which  mode  he  must  be  fished  for 
with  a  stifF3r  rod,  similar  ^o  tiiat  used  for  Bass  angling,  with  a  quill- 
float,  and  enough  of  slrt  on  the  gut  to  <  :t)ry  the  bait  down  close  to  the 
bottom.  The  best  worms  are  the  large  lob  or  dew-worms,  and  they 
should  bo  cleansed  or  scoured  by  keeping  them  for  several  days  pre- 
vious to  using  them  in  a  pot  full  of  moistened  moss.  Two  worms  should 
be  us?d,  and  thoy  should  be  baited  thus: 

Enter  the  barb  of  a  large  sized  No.  0,  or  No.  1  Limerick  Salmon- 
hook  at  the  head  of  your  first  worm,  and  bring  it  out  at  the  middle; 
run  the  worm  quite  up  on  the  gut  above  the  arming  of  the  hook ; 


THE    IMPLEMENTS    OF    SALMON    FISHINO 


251 


again  enter  the  barb  at  the  middle  of  the  second  worm,  and  bring  it  up 
very  nearly  to  the  head.  Draw  down  the  first  worm  to  meet  the 
second,  and  the  bait  will  move  on  the  bottom  with  a  natural  motion. 

Past3  composed  of  roe  of  the  Salmon,  taken  out  when  freshly  killed, 
washod  carefully,  and  cleansed  of  all  the  impurities,  the  blood  and  fila- 
m^ntous  matter,  thoroughly  dried  in  the  air,  salted  with  two  ounces  of 
rock-salt,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  saltpetre  to  a  pound  of  spawn, 
dri:!d  gontly  before  a  slow  fire,  or  in  an  oven  at  a  low  heat,  and  then 
pottad  down  and  covered  with  melted  lard  or  suet  in  earthen  pots,  is 
a  most  murderous  bait  both  for  Trout  or  Salmon.  When  a  few  weeks 
old,  it  will  cut  out  of  the  pots  like  stiff  cheese,  and  will  adhere  readily 
to  the  hook,  though  it  is  not  amiss  to  bind  it  on  with  a  slip  of  Salmon- 
colored  floss  silk.  This  will  be  found  as  effective  for  Brook  Trout  as 
for  Salmon ;  and  it  is  not  unworthy  of  remaik  that  the  roe  of  the 
melter  will  most  surely  take  the  female,  and  that  of  the  spawner  the 
male  fish.  It  has  been  hence  suggested  that  if  people  will  fish  on  the 
spawning  beds  when  the  fish  are  in  the  act  of  breeding,  by  using  the 
female  spawn  or  roe,  they  will  do  much  less  mischief  than  by  any  other 
mode,  though  it  is  little  probable  that  the  gothic  savages  who  resort 
to  these  practices  at  all  will  trouble  themselves  so  far  as  even  to  en- 
deavor to  do  a  minimum  of  mischief. 

Lastly,  the  Minnow,  the  Shiner,  the  Smelt,  the  Sparling  or  Athe- 
rine,  and  above  all,  the  young  Parr,  are  very  killing  baits,  especially 
when  there  Ls  a  freshet  in  the  stream,  for  the  Salmon,  upon  spinning- 
tackle. 

A  powerful  long  rod  should  be  used  for  this  mode  of  fishing ;  the 
line  and  reel  as  before,  but  there  should  be  at  least  two  swivels  on  the 
line,  and  a  small  funnel-shaped  piece  of  lead  sliding  upon  the  line. 

There  should  be  one  large  No.  1  Limerick  hook  at  the  end  of  the 
gut,  and  two  smaller,  about  10  and  5,  tied  back  to  back  of  the  larger 
one.  The  smallest  above,  at  the  full  length  of  the  bait,  to  hook  into 
the  lip,  when  the  funnel  will  slide  down  upon  the  nose.  The  second 
hook  should  be  passad  through  the  back  below  the  first  dorsal  fin,  and 
the  large  hook  entered  in  the  solid  part  of  the  body  beside  the  anal 
fin,  and  brought  out  at  the  fork  of  the  tail,  giving  a  curve  to  the  fish, 
which  causes  it,  when  drawn  rapidly  through  swift  water,  to  spin  and 
glance  beautifully,  in  a  manner  most  attractive  to  this  noble  fish.     All 


mK 


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259 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


the  fins  should  be  cut  off  except  the  pectoral  on  the  outer  side  of  the 
curve,  which  will  cause  it  to  spin  more  certainly. 

Some  persons  usa  a  second  hook-iongth  with  three  No.  7  hooks  tied 
back  to  back  triangularly,  not  entered  in  the  bait,  but  suffered  to  play 
loosely  around  it :  but  I  see  no  advantage  in  the  addition. 

With  any  of  these  baits,  with  the  art  to  boot,  and  a  clear  eye,  a 
steady  nerve  and  true  hand,  anywhere  almost  eastward  of  the  Kenne- 
bec, and  thence  northward  to  the  grand  St.  Lawrence,  the  adventurous 
fi.sherman  is  certain  of  such  sport,  as,  once  tried,  makes  all  other  fishing 
for  ever  more  stale,  weary,  and  unprofitable. 


1?^ 


TROUT    riSHItlO. 


203 


TROUT  FISHING. 


\ 


This  charming  sport,  second  only  in  its  excitement  to  the  skill 
which  it  requires,  and  in  the  quality  of  *' '^  captive,  to  its  elder  sister, 
Salmon -fishing,  cannot  bo  enjoyed  in  n  it  of  the  known  world  in 

greater  parfcction  than  on  the  northorii  continent  of  Anicrici.. 

Everywhere  from  the  Arctic  Circle  to  somewhere  about  the  forty- 
fourth  degree  of  north  latitude,  everywhere  from  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  the  wild  shores  of  Gaspo  and  Chaleurs  to  the  far  coasts 
of  the  Pacific,  and  the  swift  streams  of  Oregon,  this  beautiful  and 
active  fish  is  found  abundant,  in  every  spring-stream  and  fountain- 
nourished  lakelet. 

Everywhere  he  is  pursued  eagerly,  and  esteemed  a  prize  worthy  of 
the  sportsman's  skill  and  the  epicure's  idolatry.  To  the  northward 
and  eastward  he  is,  however,  both  the  finest  and  the  most  plentiful. 
The  rivers  of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia  swarm  with  Brook 
Trout  ranging  from  half  a  pound  to  five  pounds  in  weight.  In  the 
streams  of  Maine  and  New  England  they  are  equally  abundant, 
although  they  are  generally  smaller  in  size,  and  are  for  the  most  part 
taken  in  the  small  mountain  streams  from  which  they  rarely  run  down 
to  salt  water ;  whence  their  colors  are  less  brilliant,  and  their  flesh 
inferior  in  flavor. 

In  the  State  of  New  York  they  arc  of  unrivalled  excellence,  and 
are  found  in  vast  numbers,  especially  in  the  streams  of  the  south  side 
of  Long  Island,  in  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  north-eastern  counties 
which  debouch  into  the  basin  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  in  all  the 
streams  of  the  south-western  tier  of  counties  which  find  their  way 
southwardly  into  the  Delaware,  the  Susquehannah  and  the  Alleghany. 

All  the  waters  of  Northern  and  Western  Pennsylvania  are  likewise 
admirably  stocked  wiih  this  delicious  and  game  fish,  nor  has  any  one 
need  to  sock  bettor  sport  than  he  can  find  at  Carman's  or  Snodecor's 
on  Long  Island.    In  the  Mai'shpee  river,  on  Cape  Cod,  famous  as  being 


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2d4 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


the  favorite  fishing-ground  of  that  good  sportsman  and  grt!«t,  states- 
man, Daniel  Webstor ;  in  tho  CalUkoon  and  Bsaverkill  on  the  east, 
and  the  fine  Pennsylvanian  Btrearas  on  tho  west  of  the  Delaware ;  in 
the  net-work  of  lakes  and  rivers  which  renders  Hamilton  County  in 
New  York  the  angler's  earthly  paradise,  or  in  the  swift  Canadian 
streams  which  swell  tho  St.  Lawrence,  from  the  Michigan  westward  to 
the  Sault  St.  Marie,  and  upward  to  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  sport 
is  certain. 

The  implements  of  the  Trout-fisher  are  similar,  except  in  size  and 
power,  to  those  used  in  the  capture  of  the  Salmon  :  but  as  less  strength 
is  necessary  to  subdue,  so  is,  perhaps,  even  greater  delicacy  requisite 
to  ensnare  him. 

The  Trout-rod  should  be  twelve  feet  long,  and  as  pliant,  almost,  as 
a  coach-whip,  equally  bending  from  the  butt  to  the  tip.  It  should  be 
composed  of  hickory,  lancewood,  or  bamboo,  with  a  solid  butt  of  ash, 
at  the  extreme  lower  end  of  which  should  be  attached  a  simple  click- 
reel  with  a  balance  handle,  but  without  a  stop,  capable  of  containing 
thirty  yards  of  London  made  hair  and  silk  line,  tapering  equally  from 
the  reel  to  the  point.  The  bottom,  or  leader,  as  it  is  called  generally 
in  America,  should  consist  of  about  five  yards  of  round  taporing  silk- 
worm gut,  and  the  flies  should  be  three  in  number.  Plain  rings  should 
be  used  on  a  fly-rod,  and  not  the  new  tubular  metallic  guides,  which 
stiffen  it  too  much,  and  prevent  its  equal  curvature  undar  a  strain. 

For  bait-fishing,  spinning  a  minnow,  or  daping  with  a  grasshopper, 
a  stouter  rod  may  b?  adopted,  similar  to  that  used  for  ordinary  fresh- 
water, or  shoal  salt-water  fishing. 

The  best  baits  are  the  Salmon-roe,  prepared  as  I  have  described  it, 
common  brandlings  or  dew-worms,  and  any  small  fish,  and  especially 
its  own  young  fry,  which  may  be  used  either  dead  on  spinning  tackle 
such  as  is  described  above,  or  alive,  hooked  through  the  back  under 
the  first  dorsal  fin,  and  sunk  with  shot  to  within  a  few  inches  of  the  l)ot- 
tom.  In  this  mode,  the  slightest  possible  quill  float  should  be  adopted. 
The  spinning  is  by  far  the  more  sporting  and  exciting  method ;  and  in 
large  streams  running  directly  into  salt  water,  whore  the  finest  and 
greatest  Trout  are  found,  and  where  thoy  do  not  willingly  rise  to  the 
fly,  none  is  much  more  killing.  In  addition  to  these,  a  grasshopper 
dropped  deftly  on  the  sui'fac?  just  before  the-  nose  of  a  fat,  basking,  la/y 


TROUT    riSHINU. 


25d 


75 


Trout,  at  the  end  of  a  short  line,  which  is  called  daping,  will  often- 
times kill  when  all  other  plans  fail ;  shrimps  will  be  found  effective  in 
salt  water  creeks  and  river  mouths,  and  in  those  sea  bays  which  the 
fish  haunts  when  in  its  greatest  perfection,  and  very  frequently  in  the 
same  localities  it  will  bite  at  a  small  white  crab,  a  muscle,  or  the  throat 
with  the  two  pectoral  fins  attached,  of  one  of  its  own  species. 

All  of  these,  however,  pale  before  the  artificial  fly,  which  is  the  most 
legitimate,  the  most  scientific,  the  most  exciting,  because  most  difficult, 
and  lastly,  not  leastly,  the  most  killing,  in  nine  waters  of  ten,  of  all 
the  methods  used  to  capture  him. 

There  has  long  been  a  grand  debate  between  fly-fishers,  as  to 
whether  those  are  the  most  killing  flies  accurately  copied  from  nature, 
or  fancy  flies  similar  to  nothing  in  existence,  composed  of  any  gay  and 
taking  colors.  It  was  formerly  the  general  belief  that  the  first  were 
the  most  taking,  and  in  the  old  books  we  find  regular  rules  laid  down, 
and  particular  flies  ordered  for  every  particular  month  of  the  year. 
But  the  former  opinion  has  noWv^been  generally,  and  I  think  justly,  dis- 
carded by  the  best  anglers,  while  the  practice  of  such  a  regular 
arrangement  is  now  very  generally  exploded. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  for  the  most  part  the  same  flics  are 
the  most  killing  in  all  waters,  the  world  over,  in  Scotland,  Ireland, 
Norway,  and  in  the  waters  of  America ;  nor  is  there  any  fly  found 
more  excellent  for  general  use,  or  which  possesses  more  ardent  vota- 
ries, than  the  red  hackle,  which  has  probably  killed  more  and  larger 
fish  than  any  that  can  be  named. 

In  America,  Trout-flies  are  used  of  a  much  larger  size,  and  that 
more  effectively  than  in  Europe,  and  the  small  English  fly  is  justly 
less  estimated  in  these  western  waters.  The  colors  of  the  American 
flies  are  likewise  much  brighter  on  the  whole  than  is  approved  by 
British  anglers,  and  fish  will  not  unfrequently  here  take  a  gaudy  scarlet 
ibis  feather  with  a  gold  tinsel  body,  which  a  person  who  should  use  in 
Europe  would  not  improperly  be  thought  raving  mad. 

The  flies  which  I  hold  the  best  are  the  red  hackle,  the  ginger  hackle, 
the  black  hackle,  occasionally  varied  with  bodies  of  gold  or  silver  tin- 
sel, the  March-brown  or  dun-drake,  the  pale  yellow  dun  and  the  blue 
dun — both  very  killing  flies — the  cow-dung  fly,  the  stone  fly,  alder  fly, 
the  green  and  gray  drakes ;  and  for  night  and  twilight  fishing,  any  of 


m 


256 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


the  gray,  cream-colored,  or  mealy  mothe ;  of  these  I  prefer  a  large 
white-winged  moth  with  a  black  body.  In  many  waters  some  of  the 
coppery-golden  and  green  peacock  herls  are  found  to  kill  well,  and 
last  ssason,  1848,  nothing  was  so  successful  on  Long  Island  as  the 
scarlet  ibis  with  a  gold  tinsel  body.  For  my  own  fancy,  however,  I 
decidedly  prefer  the  hackles  of  almost  every  color  and  variety,  from 
the  ginger,  through  all  the  shades  of  cock,  grouse,  partridge,  wood- 
cock, up  to  jet  black ;  and  my  favorite  oast  is  a  coch-a-bondu  or  soldier 
palmer  for  my  stretcher,  a  ginger  hackle  or-blue  dun  for  my  second, 
and  a  black  palmer  or  a  dotteril  hackle  for  my  first  dropper.  The 
accompanying  plate  of  flies  are  many  of  the  best  and  most  beautiful 
varieties,  and  there  is  not  one  of  them  which  at  some  time  or  another 
I  have  not  proved  to  be  killing.  All  these,  as  also  the  large  gaudy 
lake  flies,  marked  No.  2  on  the  plate  preceding  this,  which  very  nearly 
resembles  the  Salmon-fly  except  in  size  only,  and  are  deadly  indeed 
to  the  Trout  of  the  Adirondach  waters,  were  all  prepared  expressly  for 
representation  in  this  work  by  Mr.  Conroy,  and  are  not,  in  my  opinion, 
to  be  surpassed. 

Beyond  this  I  shall  say  nothing  on  the  score  of  flies,  nor  shall  I  enter 
into  any  minute  and  elaborate  descriptions  of  these  or  other  varie- 
ties, with  which  most  books  on  fly-fishing  abound,  usque  ad  nauseam  ; 
for  I  am  satisfied  that  such  descriptions  must  be  entirely  unsatisfactory 
and  useless  to  the  fisherman,  who  should  attempt  to  tie  flies  by  their 
aid,  without  other  and  more  practical  instruction ;  and  they  are  so 
well-known  to  all  anglers,  and  to  all  tackle-makers,  by  their  names, 
that  they  can  be  readily  and  unmistakeably  ordered  by  letter,  and 
obtained  at  any  distance,  from  any  of  the  large  cities.  The  following 
vignette  is  a  representation  of  two  well-known  EphemeraB,  the  com- 
mon Green  Drake  orJMay-fly,  and  the  Stone-fly,  in  their  embryo  and 
perfect  stages. 

In  progress  of  this  subject,  I  take  the  liberty  of  quoting,  from  Dr. 
Bethune's  very  beautiful  edition  of  Walton's  Angler,  the  following 
paper,  which  was  drawn  up  and  contributed  to  that  work  by  myself, 
on  the  Trout-fishing  of  Long  Island,  at  the  request  of  the  accomplished 
author.  It  contains  everything  that  I  knew  or  could  collect  at  that 
time  on  this  branch  of  the  subject,  and  as  I  rest  well-assured  that  my 
borrowing  it  will  in  nowise  injure  or  interfere  with  that  beautiful  and 


TROUT    FISHItCa. 


267 


admirable  work,  while  I  feel  that  it  would  be  useless  and  absurd  to  re- 
word the  same  ideas  and  opinions,  and  so  render  it  pseudo-original,  I 
do  not  hesitate  to  extract  it  entire : 

"  The  principal  distinctions  that  strike  the  careful  observer  between 
the  Trout  of  Long  Island,  or,  indeed,  I  might  say  North  America  in 
general,  and  those  of  the  British  isles,  is,  first,  the  great  uniformity  of 
size  on  the  part  of  the  former,  which  rarely  exceed  two  or  three 
pounds  in  weight,  and  never ^  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain, 
five  or  six — and,  secondly,  the  fact  that  in  the  United  States,  Trout 
are  never  taken  in  the  large  rivers,  or,  if  ever,  so  rarely  as  to  prove 
the  rule  by  the  wonder  arising  from  the  exception. 

"  On  Long  Island,  there  are  some  half-dozen  instances  on  record, 
within  three  times  as  many  years,  of  fish,  varying  in  weight  from  four 
to  six  pounds,  taken  with  the  rod  and  line.  Two  of  these  instances 
occur  to  me,  as  connected  with  circumstances  which  may  render  the 
relation  acceptable,  as  of  anecdotes  very  unusual,  and  almost,  but  that 
they  are  proved  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt,  incredible. 

"  Both  these  instances  occurred  at  Stump-pond,  on  the  north  side ; 
one  in  the  pond  itself,  the  other  in  the  mill-pool,  at  the  outlet. 

"  A  gentleman  from  New  York,  thus  runs  the  first  story,  who  had 
never  thrown  a  line,  or  taken  a  Trout  in  his  life,  and  who  had  come 
out,  lately  equipped  with  a  complete  outfit  of  Conroy's  best  and 
strongest  tackle,  all  spick-and-span  new,  and  point  device,  on  throwing 
his  hook,  baited  with  a  common  lob-worm,  into  the  water,  was  greeted 
with  an  immediate  bite,  and  bob  of  the  float,  which  incontinently  dis- 
appeared beneath  the  surface,  carried  away  by  the  hard  pull  of  a 
heavy  fish.  The  novice,  ignorant  of  all  the  eoft  and  shrewd  seduc- 
tions of  the  angler's  art,  hauled  in  his  prize,  main  force,  and  actually, 
without  the  aid  of  gaff  or  landing-net,  brought  to  basket  a  five- 
pounder  ! 

"  The  fact  is  remarkable  ;  the  example  decidedly  unworthy  of  imi- 
tation ! 

"  The  other  instance  to  which  I  have  referred,  is,  in  all  respects, 
except  the  size  of  the  fish,  the  very  opposite  of  the  former  ;  as,  in  it, 
the  success  of  the  fortunate  fisherman  is  due  as  much  to  superior 
science  in  his  craft,  as  his^  in  the  former,  is  attributable  to  blind  and 
unmerited  good  luck. 


*t 


258 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


"  The  hero  of  this  anecdote  is  a  gentleman,  known  by  the  rum.  de 
guerre  of  Commodore  Limbrick,  a  character  in  which  he  has  figured 
many  a  day  in  the  columns  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Times,  and  who  is 
universally  allowed  to  be  one  of  the  best  and  most  experienced,  as 
well  as  the  oldest  fisherman  of  that  city. 

"  After  haying  fished  all  the  morning,  with  various  success,  in  the 
pond,  he  ascertained,  it  seems,  that  in  the  pool  below  the  mill  there 
was  a  fish  of  extraordinary  size,  which  had  been  observed  repeatedly, 
and  fished  for  constantly,  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  evening,  with 
every  different  variety  of  bait,  to  no  purpose.  Hearing  this,  he  betook 
himself  to  the  miller,  and  there  having  verified  the  information  which 
he  had  received,  and  having  satisfied  himself  that  neither  fly  nor  min- 
now, gentle  nor  red-worm,  would  attract  the  great  Trout,  he  procured, 
horresco  reftrem^  a  mouse  from  the  miller's  trap,  and  proceeding  to 
troll  therewith,  took,  at  the  fixst  cast  of  that  inordinate  dainty,  a  fibh 
that  weighed  four  pounds  and  three-quarters  ! 

"  Another  fish  or  two  of  the  like  dimensions  have  been  tiJsen  in 
Liff.  Snedecor's  and  in  Carman's  streams  ;  and  it  is  on  record,  that 
at  Fireplace,  many  years  since,  a  Trout  was  taken  of  eleven  pounds. 
A  rough  drawing  of  this  fish  is  still  to  be  seen  on  the  wall  of  the  tavern 
bar-room,  but  it  has  every  appearance  of  being  the  sketch  of  a  Sal- 
mon ;  and  I  am  informed  by  a  thorough  sportsman,  who  remembers 
the  time  and  the  occurrence,  although  he  did  not  see  the  fish,  that  no 
doubt  was  entertained  by  experienced  anglers  who  did  see  it,  of  its 
being  in  truth  a  Salmon. 

^'  In  the  double-pond  among  the  Musconetcong  Hills,  on  the  con- 
fines of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  in  the  Greenwood  lake  in  the 
same  region,  and  in  some  other  ponds  in  Orange  County,  Brook  Trout 
have  been  occasionally  taken  of  the  same  unusual  size.  One  fish  I  saw 
myself  on  last  New  Year's  Day,  which,  shameful  to  tell !  had  been 
caught  through  the  ice,  near  Newburgh.  This  fish  weighed  an  ounce 
or  two  above  five  pounds,  and  was  well-fed,  and  apparently  in  good 
condition — but,  as  I  said  before,  all  these  must  be  taken  as  exceptions, 
proving  the  rule,  that  Trout  in  American  waters  rarely  exceed  two  or 
three  pounds  in  weight,  and  never  compare  in  size  with  the  fish  taken 
in  England,  and  still  less  with  those  of  the  Scottish  and  Irish  waters, 
in  all  of  which,  the  regular,  red-spotted,  yellow-finned  Brook  Trout 


TROUT    riSHINO. 


259 


are  constantly  taken,  with  the  fly,  of  ten  pounds  weight  and  upward ; 
and  sometimes,  in  the  lakes  of  Ireland  and  Cumberland,  in  the  Black- 
water,  Coquet,  and  Stour  rivers,  attain  to  the  enormous  bulk  of  twenty- 
six  and  thirty  pounds. 

"  With  regard  to  the  second  point  of  distinction,  I  have  never  heard 
of  a  Trout  being  taken  at  all  in  the  Hudson  ;  never  in  the  Delaware, 
even  so  far  up  as  Mil  ford,  where  the  tributaries  of  that  river  abound 
in  large  and  well-fed  fish  ;  never  in  the  lower  waters  of  the  Connec- 
ticut, or  any  Eastern  river  so  far  as  the  Penobscot,  although  the  head 
watsrs  of  all  these  fine  and  limpid  rivers  teem  with  fish  of  high  color 
and  flavor.  In  Great  Britain,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  to  the  larger,  if 
not  to  the  largest,  rivers  that  the  angler  looks  altogether  for  good 
sport  and  large  fish  ;  and  it  is  there  as  rare  a  thing  to  take  a  fish  a 
pound  weight  in  a  rivulet  or  brook,  as  it  is  here  to  catch  a  Trout  at 
all  in  a  large  river. 

"  In  Canada,  and  in  the  British  Provinces  to  the  eastward  of  Maine, 
it  is  true  that  Sea  Trout,  or  Salmon  Peel,  are  taken  of  large  size  in 
the  St.  Lawrence,  and  in  the  rivers  falling  into  the  bays  of  Gaspd  and 
Chaleurs ;  but  although  occasionally  confounded  with  the  Trout  proper, 
this  is  in  truth  a  totally  different  fish,  and  one,  so  far  as  I  know,  which 
is  never  taken  in  any  of  the  waters  of  the  United  States. 

"  In  appearance,  the  Brook  Trout  of  America  and  Great  Britain 
are  to  my  eye  almost  identical ;  both  presenting,  in  well-fed  and 
well-conditioned  fish,  the  same  smallness  of  head,  depth  of  belly, 
'  and  breadth  of  back  ;  the  same  silvery  lustre  of  the  scales,  and  the 
same  bright  crimson  spots.  The  flesh  of  the  American  fish,  when 
in  prime  order,  and  taken  in  the  best  waters,  is,  I  must  confess,  of  a 
deeper  red  hue,  and  of  a  higher  flavor,  than  that  of  any  which  it  has 
been  my  fortune  to  taste  at  home — and  I  have  often  eaten  the  Thames 
Trout,  which,  rarely  taken  below  ten  pounds  in  weight,  are  esteemed 
by  epicures  the  very  best  of  the  species. 

"  We  travel  now,  be  it  observed,  by  railroad  to  our  fishing  stations, 
but  for  the  convenience  of  reviewing  the  country,  and  scanning  the 
waters,  in  regular  succession  as  we  pass  eastward,  I  will  suppose  that, 
as  in  the  pleasant  days  of  old,  we  are  rolling  along  in  our  light  wagon, 
over  the  level  roads,  on  a  mild  afternoon  in  the  latter  days  of  March, 
or  the  first  of  April. 


4 


\\ 


260 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


"  We  have  started  from  Williamsburgh  or  Brooklyn,  after  an  early 
dinner ;  passed  through  Jamaica ;  rolled  over  the  plains  towards 
Hempstead ;  and,  passing  through  it  without  stoppage,  have  turned 
suddenly  to  the  right  towards  the  bays,  beyond  which  lies  the  beach, 
with  the  incessant  surge  of  the  Atlantic  moaning  in  the  deep  monotony 
of  its  calm,  or  thundering  in  the  hoarse  fury  of  its  storm,  against  its 
pebbly  barrier. 

"Now  we  are  in  the  land  of  Trout  streams,  baymen,  and  wild 
fowl. 

"  The  rippling  dash  of  falling  waters  catches  our  ear,  at  every  half- 
mile  as  we  roll  along,  and  every  here  and  there,  the  raised  bank  on 
our  left  hand  with  its  line  of  stunted  willows  bent  landward  by  the 
strong  sea-breeze,  the  sluice-gate,  and  the  little  bridge,  with  the  clear 
stream  rushing  seaward  under  it,  tell  us  that  we  are  passing  a  Trout 
pond. 

"  On  the  right  hand,  the  salt  meadows  stretch  away,  a  wide,  waste, 
desolate  expanse,  to  the  bays,  which  glitter  afar  off  under  the  declin- 
ing sun,  whence  you  can  hear  at  times  the  bellowing  roar  of  a  heavy 
gun,  telling  of  decimated  flocks  of  brant  and  broadbill. 

"  Now  we  pass  by  a  larger  pond  than  any  we  have  yet  seen,  with  a 
mill  at  its  outlet,  and  in  a  mile  farther,  pull  up  at  the  door  of  Jem 
Smith's  tavern. 

"  And  there  we  will  halt  to-night,  although  it  be  a  better  station  for 
fowling  than  for  fishing,  for  we  are  sure  of  neat  though  homely  accom- 
modation, and  of  a  kindly  welcome  ;  and  here  it  is  that  the  first  essay 
is  to  be  made  of  Long  Island  waters. 

"  On  this  stream  there  are  two  ponds,  both  of  which  were  formerly 
private  property,  and  closed  against  all  persons  except  those  who  were 
furnished  with  a  permit ;  they  are  now  open  to  all  persons  indiscrimi- 
nately, and  I  believe  without  restriction  as  to  the  number  that  may  be 
taken  by  each  individual,  or  by  a  party.  The  consequence  of  this  is, 
that  these  ponds  have  deteriorated  very  rapidly,  and  that,  although 
they  are  well-stocked  with  small  fish  of  fair  flavor  and  quality.  Trout 
are  rarely  taken  of  such  a  size  as  to  remunerate  the  exertions  of  a 
good  fisherman.  Half  a  pound  may  be  taken  as  a  good  average  of  the 
fish  killed  here.  In  the  creek  below,  where  the  tide  makes,  there  are, 
of  course,  fish,  but  I  never  have  heard  of  much  work  being  done  in  it ; 


TROUT   riSHINO. 


and,  in  truth,  except  that  this  is  the  first  southern  pond  of  any  note,  I 
would  hardly  advise  the  angler  to  pause  here. 

"  About  a  mile  and  a  half  farther  eastward  is  a  large  pond,  and  a 
fine  house,  both  recently  constructed  at  a  groat  expense  by  Judge 
Jonc« — the  former  exclusively  designed  as  a  fish-pond.  The  place 
has,  however,  passed  out  of  his  hands,  and  the  house  is  now  kept  as  a 
hotel  by  one  of  the  Snedecors.  The  pond  has  hitherto  been  private, 
but  is  now  open,  though  with  a  limitation.  It  is  well-stocked  with 
fish  of  a  fair  size.  When  I  was  last  there,  a  fortnight  since,  a  gentle- 
man had  taken  eight  fish,  weighing  as  many  pounds,  with  the  fly  that 
morning.  The  largest  did  not  exceed  a  pound  and  a  half,  but  they 
were  handsome,  clean,  well-fed  fish,  and,  as  the  day  was  anything  but 
propitious,  easterly  wind,  and  very  raw  and  cold,  I  considered  it  fair 
sport.  Ho  had  not  been  fishing  above  a  couple  of  hours.  I  under- 
stand, however,  that  there  are  many  Pike  in  this  pond,  and  in  the 
stream  that  supplies  it ;  and  I  much  fear  that  this  must  ultimately 
prove  destructive  to  all  the  fish  in  the  water,  although  those  resident 
on  the  spot  assert  that  the  Pike  never  grows  in  that  region  to  above 
half  a  pound,  and  rarely  to  that  weight,  and  that  little,  if  any,  detri- 
ment is  observed  to  arise  from  his  presence. 

"  This,  however,  I  cannot  believe,  for  the  growth  of  the  Pike  is 
usually  almost  as  rapid  as  his  voracity  is  excessive  ;  and  I  am  aware 
of  many  instances,  both  in  the  United  States  and  in  England,  where 
ponds  and  streams,  excellently  stocked  with  Trout,  have  been  utterly 
devastated  and  rendered  worthless  by  the  introduction  of  this  i<hark 
of  the  fresh  waters. 

"  The  house  is  well-kept,  as  is  almost  invariably  the  case  on  Long 
Island ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  angler  may  pass  some  days  here 
with  pleasure. 

"  Some  miles  beyond  this,  still  keeping  the  southside  road,  we  come 
to  Babylon,  where  there  is  an  excellent  house,  under  the  management 
of  Mr.  Concklin,  of  whom  all  accommodation  may  be  obtained,  both 
as  regards  fowl-shooting  in  the  bays  and  Trout-fishing  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. There  are  several  ponds  and  streams  more  or  less  well-stocked 
in  this  vicinity,  but  none  of  any  particular  note,  either  for  the  size  or 
flavor  of  the  fish. 

"  Such,  however,  is  not  the  case  with  the  next  station  at  which  we 


m 


262 


AMERICAN  riSHKS. 


I 


arrive,  Liff.  Snedecor's — iu  whose  pond  the  fish  run  to  a  larger  size 
than  in  any  water  we  have  yet  noted.  The  Trout  here,  hoth  in  the 
pond  and  in  the  stream  below,  are  noted  for  their  great  beauty,  both 
of  form  and  color  ;  and  although  there  is  some  debate  among  con- 
noisseurs as  to  the  comparative  flavor  of  Snedecor's  fish  and  those 
taken  at  Carman's,  eighteen  miles  further  east,  the  judgment  of  the 
best  sportsmen  inclines  to  the  former. 

"  The  pond  is  of  the  same  character  with  those  which  I  have  de- 
scribed heretofore,  and  can  be  fished  only  from  boats.  It  is  open  to 
all  anglers,  but  the  number  of  fish  to  be  basketed  by  each  person  in 
one  day  is  limited  to  a  dozen.  In  the  stream  there  is  no  limit,  nor 
indeed  can  there  be,  as  the  tide-waters  cannot  be  preserved,  or  the 
free  right  of  fishing  them  prohibited.  The  Trout  here  are  not  only 
very  numerous  and  of  the  first  quality  of  exoellence^their  flesh  being 
redder  than  that  of  the  Salmon — but  very  large  ;  the  average  pro- 
bably exceeds  a  pound,  and  fish  of  two  and  two  and  a  half  pounds' 
weight  are  taken  so  frequently  as  to  be  no  rarity. 

"  The  outlet  of  this  pond,  after  running  a  few  hundred  yards,  opens 
upon  the  salt  meadows,  where  there  is  no  obstacle  whatever  to  throw- 
ing a  long  line.  It  is  broader  and  longer  than  ^y  stream  we  have 
hitherto  encountered,  and  is  incomparably  the  best,  containing  fiah 
even  larger  than  those  of  the  pond  above,  and,  in  my  opinion,  of  a 
finer  flavor.  I  believe  it,  indeed,  to  be  an  indisputable  fact,  that 
Trout,  which  have  access  to  salt  water,  are  invariably  more  highly 
colored  and  flavored  than  those  which  are  confined  to  fresh  streams 
by  natural  or  artificial  obstacles. 

"  There  is  no  distinction,  of  which  I  am  aware,  in  favor  of  pond  or 
stream,  for  the  use  of  the  fly,  the  fish  taking  it  readily  in  cither, 
although  as  a  general  rule  they  will  rise  to  it  earlier  in  the  fresh,  than 
in  the  tide-water. 

"  At  some  distance  down  this  stream  there  is  a  range  of  willows  on 
the  bank,  nearly  opposite  to  a  place  owned  by  Mrs.  Ludlow  ;  and 
under  the  trees  are  some  holes  famous  for  being  the  resorts  of  the 
largest  fish,  which  affect  here  the  deepest  water  and  the  principal 
channel.  Here,  as  in  the  pond,  fish  of  two  and  a  half  pounds  are  no 
rarity,  and,  in  fact,  such  are  taken  here  more  frequently  than  above 
I  should  say  that  one  would  rarely  hook  a  Trout  in  this  stream  under 


TROUT    FISHING. 


M(( 


onn  and  a  half  pounds  ;  and  the  true  angler  well  knows  that  a  well- 
oonditioned  fresh-run  fish,  from  this  size  to  a  pound  larger,  on  the 
finest  and  most  delicate  tackle,  will  give  him  nothing  of  which  to  com- 
plain in  the  way  of  exercise  or  excitement. 

''  At  a  short  distance  from  Snedeoor's  is  another  stream,  known  as 
Green's  Creek,  which  contains  a  peculiar  and  distinct  variety  of  Trout, 
which  is  called  in  that  district  the  Silver  Trout.  I  have  not  seen  this 
fish,  but  learn  from  good  sportsmen  that  it  is  of  a  much  lighter  and 
more  pearly  hue  than  the  common  Trout,  the  bright  and  silvery  lustre 
of  the  scales  prevailing  over  the  back  and  shoulders.  It  is  crimson 
spotted,  but  the  fins  are  less  strongly  yellow,  and  it  is  perhaps  a 
slenderer  fish  in  form.  The  flesh  is  said  to  be  firm  and  well-fiavored. 
The  Silver  Trout  is  rarely  taken  much  over  or  much  under  a  pound 
in  weight,  and  rises  to  the  fly  or  takes  the  bait  indiscriminately.  This 
stream  has,  I  know  not  wherefore,  of  late  years  lost  much  of  its  cele- 
brity, and  is  rarely  visited  by  the  best  sportsmen. 

At  Patchogue,  yet  a  few  miles  further,  there  is  a  very  large  pond, 
which  was  formerly  perhaps  the  most  famous  on  the  island,  both  for 
the  abundance  and  the  size  of  the  fish  which  it  contained.  They  have, 
however,  become  4i'tterly  so  scarce,  that  few  persons  from  a  distance 
think  it  worth  their  while  to  pause  there,  but  proceed  at  once  to  Sam 
Carman's,  at  Fireplace,  eighteen  miles  eastward  from  Liff.  Snedecor's; 
these  two  being  in  fact  the  par  excellence  fishing  grounds  of  the  Island, 
and  the  difference  between  the  two  rather  a  matter  of  individual  pre- 
judice and  fancy,  than  of  any  real  or  well-grounded  opinion. 
■  "  The  character  of  the  fishing  at  Fireplace  is  nearly  similar  to  that 
at  Islip  ;  the  stream  flowing  from  the  pond  is  larger,  and  contains 
much  larger  fish,  the  most  beautiful,  both  in  shape  and  brightness  of 
color,  of  any  on  the  island.  In  this  stream,  two  pounds  is  a  very  com- 
mon size  ;  perhaps,  fish  are  as  frequently  taken  of  this  weight  as  under 
it,  and  upwards  to  four  pounds.  Their  flesh  is  very  highly  colored, 
and  their  flavor,  as  I  have  observed  before,  second  to  none.  Indeed, 
it  is  but  a  few  years  since  Carman's  fish  were  estimated  by  old  sports- 
men the  only  fish  worth  eating  ;  of  late,  however,  fashion — which  riiles 
in  gastronomic  tastes  as  otherwise — has  veered  a  little  in  favor  of  the 
Islip  Trout,  and  it  remains  at  present  a  debatable  point  between  the 
two.     The  course  of  Carman's  stream  lies  chiefly  through  open  salt 


M4 


AMERICAN  riSRES. 


meadows,  and  tho  banks  are  entirely  deetitute  of  covert,  so  that  rery 
careful  and  delicate  fishing  is  necessary  in  order  to  fill  a  basket. 
Even  with  ground  bait  it  is  desirable  to  keep  completely  oat  of  sight, 
walking  as  far  from  the  bank  as  possible,  and  to  avoid  jarring  the 
water,  so  wary  and  shy  are  the  larger  fish.  It  is  also  advisable  to  fish 
down  wind.  Trolling  is  very  successful  in  this  water,  tho  same  pre- 
cautions being  taken,  and  the  bnit-fish  being  dropped  as  lightly  on  the 
surface,  as  if  it  were  a  fly,  so  as  to  create  neither  splash  nor  sound. 
The  pond  above  is  likewise  deservedly  celebrated,  tho  fish  averaging 
at  least  a  pound  in  weight,  and  equal  in  all  respects  to  any  pond 
Trout  in  this  or  any  other  region.  The  fly-fishing  hero  in  season  is 
probably  the  best  on  Long  Island,  although  of  late,  hero,  as  every- 
where else.  Trout  are  becoming  comparatively  few  in  number ;  eo  that 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  impose  a  limit  on  sportsmen. 

*'  Not  many  years  ago,  a  celebrated  English  shot  and  angler,  who 
has  since  left  this  country,  and  who,  I  believe,  was  among  tho  first,  if 
not  the  very  first,  to  use  the  fly  on  Long  Island  waters,  took  between 
forty  and  fifty  good  fish  in  this  pond  before  dinner,  and  in  the  after- 
noon basketed  above  a  dozen  of  yet  larger  size  in  tho  stream  below. 

"  This  feat,  the  like  of  which  will  not,  I  fear,  be  soon  heard  of 
again,  was  performed  with  a  fly,  the  body  of  which  was  composed  of 
hare's-ear  fur,  and  the  hackle  of  a  woodcock's  wings — a  very  killing 
fly,  be  it  observed,  for  all  waters,  especially  early  in  the  season. 

"  On  the  same  stream  with  Carman's  pond,  and  at  but  a  short  dis- 
tance above  it,  is  another  called  Middle  Island  Pond,  with  a  saw  and 
flour-mill  at  the  outlet,  which  contains  a  great  number  of  fish,  of  very 
large  and  very  uniform  size,  running  from  one  and  a  half  to  two 
pounds  weight.  It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  the  Trout  in  the 
lower  pond  being  esteemed  the  best,  those  in  tho  upper  should  be  the 
worst  of  any  taken  on  the  south  side  of  the  island.  Such,  notwith- 
standing, is  the  case  ;  they  are  long,  shallow,  ill-fed  fish,  dingy- 
colored,  and  woody-flavored.  They  are  not,  however,  black-mouthed, 
as  are  the  fish  of  a  pond  which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  here- 
after. 

"  I  remember  that  a  fact  of  the  same  sort  is  recorded  of  two  lakes, 
I  think  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  connected  by  a  short  stream  running 
through  a  bog  meadow.     In  the  upper  of  these  lakes  the  fish,  as  here, 


TROUT   FISH  (NO. 


2bS 


are  worthlesa — in  the  lower  Buperlativo  ;  and  they  are  never  known  to 
intermingle.  How  this  should  bo,  connot  well  bo  explained  ;  for, 
granting  that  the  excellence  of  the  fish  arises  from  the  soil  and  food, 
and  that  the  inferior  fish  improves  on  coming  into  the  superior  water, 
still  there  must  be  a  transition  state. 

"  With  this  pond  I  shall  close  ray  notice  of  the  south  side  waters, 
merely  adding  that  at  Moritchcs,  and  yet  further  east,  there  are  many 
streams  and  lakelets  abounding  in  fish,  though  inferior  to  those  of  the 
waters  I  have  enumerated,  both  in  size  and  quality  ;  and  theso  are,  I 
believe,  all  open  without  limit  to  all  persons  who  desire  to  fish  them. 

"  It  may  bo  worth  while  here  to  mention,  for  the  benefit  of  strangers, 
that  the  houses  kept  by  Sncdecor  and  Carman  are  by  no  means 
country  taverns,  at  which  nothing  can  be  obtained,  as  is  often  the  case 
in  the  interior,  but  hard  salt  ham  and  tough  hens  just  slaughtered. 
Being  frequented  by  gentlemen  entirely,  they  are  admirable  hotels  in 
every  respect. 

"  I  will  now  turn,  for  a  moment,  to  the  north  side,  on  which  there 
are  also  many  streams  containing  Trout,  but  none,  with  a  single  ex- 
ception, which  can  show  size  or  numbers  against  the  southern  waters. 
That  exception  is  Stump  Pond,  near  Smithtown,  now  rented  to  a 
company  of  gentlemen,  and  of  course  shut  to  the  public  in  general. 
The  fish  in  this  large  sheet  of  water  are  very  numerous,  and  very 
large,  but  are  for  the  most  part  ill-shaped,  ill-conditioned,  and  inferior 
in  flavor — long,  lank  fish,  with  very  large  black  mouths.  I  have  been 
informed  that  in  latter  years  the  fish  in  this  water  have  been  gradually 
improving,  but  of  this  I  cannot  speak  from  personal  experience  ;  it  is, 
however,  notorious,  that  occasionally  Trout  of  very  fine  quality,  both 
in  appearance  and  flavor,  have  been  caught  hero  ;  which  is  somewhat 
remarkable,  inasmuch  as  the  same  feeding  grounds  rarely  produce  two 
difi'erent  qualities  of  fish. 

"  With  regard  to  weather,  a  darkish  day,  with  a  moderately  brisk 
breeze,  sufficient  to  make  a  strong  ripple  on  the  water,  is  the  most 
favorable.  It  is  somewhat  singular,  that  in  spite  of  the  generally  re- 
ceived opinion  that  southerly  or  south-westerly  weather  is  the  cnly 
weather  for  Trout-fishing,  few  old  Long  Island  anglers  are  to  be  found 
who  cannot  state  that  they  have  taken  as  many,  some  say  more,  fish 
during  the  prevalence  of  easterly  winds,  as  in  any  weather.     A  friend 


266 


AMERICAN    FIBRES. 


of  mine,  on  whose  authority  I  can  perfectly  rely,  and  to  whom  I  gladly 
record  my  indebtedness  for  many  facts  stated  in  this  paper,  assures 
me  that  he  has  neyer  known  Trout  to  take  the  dy  more  freely  than 
during  a  northeasterly  snow-storm.  Still,  I  m\xai  consider  these  as 
exceptions  to  the  general  rule ;  and  I  at  least  would  select,  if  I  had 
my  choice,  *a  southerly  wind  and  a  cloudy  sky' — always  barring 
thunder — and  no  objection  to  a  slight  sprinkling  of  warm  rain. 

"  There  is  another  peculiarity  to  observe  in  the  Long  Island  waters 
— and,  so  far  as  I  know,  in  them  only — that  Trout  bite  decidedly 
better  and  more  freely,  when  the  water  is  very  fine  and  clear,  than 
when  it  is  in  flood  and  turbid.  Indeed,  if  there  be  a  good  ripple  on 
the  surface,  the  water  can  hardly  be  too  transparent. 

"  It  has  been  suggested  to  me,  that  this  may  be  accounted  for  by 
the  fact  that  in  flood  the  waters  are  so  well  filled  with  natural  bait, 
that  the  fish  become  gorged  and  lazy.  I  cannot  say,  however,  that 
this  is  perfectly  satisfactory  to  me ;  as  the  same  must  be  the  case, 
more  or  less,  in  all  waters ;  whereas  it  is  unquestionably  the  case, 
wherever  I  have  fished,  except  on  Long  Island,  that  Trout  are  more 
easily  taken  in  turbid  than  in  fine  water. 

"  As  connected  with  the  foregoing  remarks,  I  will  here  add,  that, 
as  a  general  rule,  the  minnow,  with  spinning  or  trolling  tackle,  is 
found  to  be  more  killing  than  ground  bait  in  the  ponds,  and  vice  verta^ 
in  the  tide  streams — probably  from  the  mere  fact  that  the  minnow  is 
the  rarer  in  the  one  water,  the  red-worm  in  the  other,  and  that  each 
by  its  rarity  becomes  the  greater  dainty." 

Beyond  this  I  have  nothing  to  add,  with  respect  to  Trout-fishing, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  very  general  observations  on  the  most 
likely  times,  seasons,  and  places  in  which  to  fish  for  the  Trout,  since 
the  mode  of  taking  them  with  the  fly  is  in  all  respects  the  same  as 
that  already  given  under  the  head  of  Salmon-fishing,  the  modes  of 
casting  for,  striking  and  playing  these  kindred  fishes  being  in  all 
respects  identical. 

In  the  first  place,  I  am  clearly  of  opinion  that  for  very  early  fishing 
in  March  and  April  there  is  no  place  on  this  continent  at  all  compa- 
rable to  Long  Island,  where  all  along  the  south  shore  they  can  be 
taken  in  numbers  almost  innumerable,  in  every  pond,  stream,  and  salt 
oreek,  until  the  end  of  July,  when  they  cease  to  bite  freely.     It  is 


TROUT   FISHING. 


267 


worthy  of  observation  that  very  early  in  the  season  the  bait  is  more 
killing  than  the  fly,  but  that  from  May  to  the  end  of  the  season  the  fly- 
fisher  will  fill  his  creel  when  the  bait-fisher  will  go  empty-handed  home. 

In  the  salt  creeks  the  fish  take  the  fly  far  less  willingly  than  the  bait ; 
and  in  Carman's  Creek,  which  is  very  decidedly  the  best  Trout  river 
on  Long  Island,  it  is  said  that  there  is  but  one  example  of  a  fish  being 
killed  with  the  fly,  by  an  old  friend  of  my  own,  Mr.  Luxford,  formerly 
of  H.  M.'s  Royal  Dragoons,  in  whose  eye,  should  this  meet  it,  these 
words  may  awaken  not  unpleasant  reminiscences  of  his  visit  to  the 
United  States,  and  of  his  many,  many  sporting  rambles  with  Frank 
Forester. 

In  Carman's  River  the  largest  fish  in  America  are,  I  think  it  will 
be  allowed,  mostly  caught,  running  often  quite  up  to  five  lbs.  weight, 
and  I  fully  believe  that  if  it  werq  fished  patiently  and  resolutely,  espe- 
cially at  the  gray  twilight,  or  in  the  shimmering  moon-shine  quite 
down  to  the  bay,  through  the  salt  meadows,  with  a  small  Trout  on  good 
spinning-tackle  with  three  swivels,  or  with  a  very  large  gaudy  fly,  sunk 
by  means  of  a  shot  to  several  inches  below  the  surface,  fish  might  be 
taken  of  seven  or  eig?  j  pounds  weight.  After  Long  Island  fishing  is 
nearly  at  an  end,  commences,  and  continues  quite  until  September, 
that  in  the  crystal  streams  of  the  Southern  New  York  counties,  in  the 
Pennsylvanian  streams,  and  even  later  in  the  waters  of  the  Adirondach 
Highlands  and  later  yet  at  the  Sault  St.  Marie. 

The  Juniata,  the  Wyoming,  the  upper  Delaware,  the  upper  Alle- 
ghany and  the  upper  Susquehannah  swarm  with  fish,  as  well  as  all 
their  tributaries.  The  former  rivers,  and  many  another  equally  fine 
streams  in  the  Alleghany  and  Blue  ridges,  are  within  easy  striking  dis- 
tance of  Philadelphia ;  all  the  waters  of  the  Delaware  and  Susquehan- 
nah rivers  can  be  reached  in  a  day  from  New  York,  by  the  Morris 
and  Erie  railroad ;  nor  is  there  any  lovelier  or  more  romantic  region, 
nor  any  waters  dearer  to  the  angler,  than  those  which  are  now  opened 
to  the  world  by  that  noble  avenue  which  is  already  complete  so  far  as 
to  Owego,  and  which  will  soon  link  with  its  iron  chain,  Erie  and  all 
the  upper  lakes  to  the  Atlantic  sea-board. 

Hamilton  County  and  its  splendid  fishing-grounds  may  be  reached 
in  many  ways  from  New  York,  via  Albany.  From  Caldwell's  on 
Lake  George,  from  Lake  Champlain  by  the  Saranac,  from  Schcnec- 


268 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


tady  by  the  Fish-house,  and  from  the  St.  Lawrence  it  is  accessible  to 
the  Canadians  by  the  Black  River  or  the  Racket. 

These  waters  abound  in  the  Brook  Trout,  and  the  great  Lake  Trout, 
whereof  a  word  more  hereafter,  though  he  very  little  merits  a  word ; 
and  good  accommodations  can  now  be  obtained  in  many  places 
through  that  of  late  inhospitable  region ;  but  much  of  the  pleasure  of 
a  trip  thithsr  is  destroyed  by  the  swarms  of  mosquitoes,  and  yet  worse, 
of  venomous  acupuncturing  black  and  sand-flies,  which  phlebotomize 
almost  beyond  endurance  the  hapless  unacclimated  stranger  who  ven- 
tures into  their  demesnes,  between  May  and  the  latter  days  of  August. 

Beyond  this  I  will  only  add  that  the  haunts  of  the  Brook  Trout 
closely  resemble  those  of  the  Salmon  ;  that  they  lie  lurking  for  their 
passing  prey  under  great  stones  at  the  head  or  tail  of  swift  glancing 
rapids,  in  the  small  deep  pools  between,  beneath  the  roots  of  great 
trees  which  protrude  from  banks  over  swirls  and  whirlpools,  in  holes 
under  weirs  and  sluices,  and  in  no  place  more  frequently  than  at  the 
tail  of  mill-races 

The  best  and  heaviest  fish  do  not  begin  to  feed  until  twilight,  after 
which,  for  about  three  hours,  they  are  exceedingly  voracious,  reposing 
again  after  that  until  daybreak  is  at  hand,  when  they  again  feed  for 
an  hour  or  two,  lying  quite  still,  and  oftentimes  refusing  the  most 
tempting  baits  during  the  whole  of  the  day-time 

I  have  been  told  lately,  and  see  no  reason  for  doubting  the  accuracy 
of  the  information,  that  great  sport  may  be  had  by  baiting  any  well- 
ascortained  haunt  in  a  stream  with  the  common  Cray-Fish,  his  shell 
being  cracked  to  pieces  for  several  days  in  succession,  previous  to 
fishing  it  with  a  fly. 

From  the  Brook  Trout  I  pass  on  to  his  nearest  relations,  the 
various  kinds  of  Lake  Trout,  Mackinaw  Salmon,  Siskawitz,  and,  as  it 
is  called  erroneously,  Salmon  Trout  of  the  lakes. 

Before  closing  this  article,  1  have  judged  it  Trell  to  quote  a  few  re- 
marks on  Trout-fishing,  from  that  admirable  work,  Hofland's  Angler's 
Manual,  inasmuch  as  they  are  in  the  highes'.  degree  appropriate  to  the 
Trout-fishing  of  America  generally,  while  the  observation  on  bush- 
fishing,  dipping  or  dapping,  will  be  found  of  great  advantage  to  the 
angler  for  small  Trout  in  the  beautiful  tumbling  mountain-streams  far 
inland,  in  our  northern  and  north-eastern  State?. 


TROUT   FISHING. 


9qI 


(( 


THE     ARTIFICIAL     FLY. 


"  Fly-fishing  is  certainly  the  most  gentlemanly  and  pleasant  kind 
of  angling,  and  it  has  many  advantages  over  every  other  mode  of 
fishing.  In  the  first  place,  your  apparatus  is  light  and  portable  ;  for 
a  slight  rod,  twelve  feet  long — or  if  wanted  for  a  narrow  and  wooded 
stream,  one  of  ten  feet  only  would  bo  more  convenient — a  reel  con- 
taining thirty  yards  of  line,  a  book  of  artificial  flies,  and  a  landing- 
net,  and  you  are  fully  equipped  for  the  sport.  In  the  second  place,  it 
is  the  most  cleanly  and  the  least  cruel  mode  of  angling,  as  you  are 
not  obliged  to  soil  your  hands  by  ground  bait,  or  live  baits,  nor  to 
torture  a  living  fish,  or  insect,  on  your  hook.  Another  charm  in  fly- 
fishing is,  that  you  are  never  fixed  to  one  spot,  but  continue  to  rove 
along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  enjoying,  in  your  devious  path,  all  the 
varieties  of  its  scenery ;  the  exercise  induced  is  constant,  and  not 
too  violent,  and  is  equally  conducive  to  health  and  pleasure.  I  have 
already  said  that  a  one-handed  rod  should  be  ten  or  twelve  feet  long, 
and  a  two-handed  rod  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  feet ;  to  either  of 
which  must  be  attached  a  reel  containing  thirty  yards  of  twisted  silk 
and  hair  line,  tapering  from  a  moderate  thickness  to  a  few  hairs,  at 
the  end  of  which  you  are,  by  a  loop,  to  attach  the  bottom  tackle. 
This  should  be  made  of  round,  even  gut,  and  three  yards  long ;  some 
persons  prefer  four  yards  ;  but  I  think  too  great  a  length  of  gut 
increases  the  difficulty  in  casting  the  line.  Those  bottom  tackles  may 
be  purchased  at  the  shops  in  two,  three,  or  four-yard  lengths.  These 
lines  should  also  taper  gradually,  the  gut  being  much  stronger  at  the 
end  which  is  to  be  attached  to  the  line  on  the  reel,  than  at  the  end  to 
which  the  stretcher-fly  is  to  be  fixed.  When  you  fish  with  only  two 
flies,  the  second — or  drop-fly — should  be  at  a  distance  of  thirty-six  or 
forty  inches  from  the  bottom,  or  stretcher-fly ;  but,  if  you  use  three 
flies,  the  first  drop  should  be  only  thirty-four  inches  from  the  stretcher, 
and  the  second  drop  thirty  inches  from  the  first.  These  drop-flies 
are  attached  to  the  line  by  loops,  and  should  not  be  more  than  three 
inches  long  ;  and,  by  having  the  gut  rather  stronger  than  for  the  end- 
fly,  they  will  stand  nearly  at  a  right  angle  from  the  line.  I  recom- 
mend the  beginner  to  commence  with  one  fly  only  ;  but,  at  most,  he 
must  not  use  more  than  two ;  and,  as  for  his  mode  of  casting,  or 


'fw 


mm 

.1*1 — 


ill 

5® 


270 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


throwing  his  fly,  now  his  tackle  is  prepared,  I  fear  little  useful  instruc- 
tion can  be  given,  as  skill  and  dexterity,  in  this  point,  must  depend 
upon  practice.  I  may,  however,  advise  him  not  to  attempt  to  cast  a 
long  line  at  first,  but  to  try  his  strength,  and  gain  facility  by  degrees. 
He  must  make  up  his  mind  to  hear  many  a  crack,  like  a  coachman's 
whip,  and  find  the  consequent  loss  of  his  flies,  before  he  can  direct 
his  stretcher  to  a  given  point,  and  let  it  fall  on  the  water  lightly  as  a 
gossamer.  When  I  come  to  speak  of  the  diiFerent  Trout  streams  in 
the  neighborhood  of  London,  and  elsewhere,  I  shall  recommend  the 
flies  to  be  used  for  the  place  and  season ;  in  the  meantime,  I  shall 
attempt  to  describe  the  haunts  of  the  Trout. 

"  He  is  fond  of  swift,  clear  streams,  running  over  chalky,  lime- 
stone, or  gravelly  bottoms  ;  but  he  is  more  frequently  in  the  eddies, 
by  the  side  of  the  stream,  than  in  the  midst  of  it.  A  mill-tail  is  a 
favorite  haunt  of  the  Trout,  for  he  finds  protection  under  the  apron, 
which  is  generally  hollow,  and  has  the  advantage  of  being  in  the  eddy, 
by  the  side  of  the  mill-race,  awaiting  his  food.  He  delights  also  in 
cascades,  tumbling  bays,  and  wiers.  The  larger  Trout  generally  have 
their  hold  under  roots  of  over-hanging  trees,  and  beneath  hollow 
banks,  in  the  deepest  parts  of  the  river.  The  junction  of  little 
rapids,  formed  by  water  passing  round  an  obstruction,  in  the  midst  of 
th  i  general  current,  is  a  likely  point  at  which  to  raise  a  Trout ;  also 
a1  the  roots  of  trees,  or  in  other  places  where  the  froth  of  the  stream 
collects.  All  such  places  are  favorable  for  sport,  as  insects  follow  the 
same  course  as  the  bubbles,  and  are  there  sought  by  the  fish.  After 
sunset,  in  summer,  the  large  fish  leave  their  haunts,  and  may  be  found 
on  the  scowers,  and  at  the  tails  of  streams  ;  and  during  this  time,  so 
long  as  the  angler  can  see  his  fly  on  the  water,  he  may  expect  sport. 
Unfortunately,  when  the  deepening  shades  of  twilight  drive  the  sports- 
man home,  he  is  succeeded,  on  dark  nights,  by  the  poacher,  with  his 
night-lines ;  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  the  north-country  angler 
gives  too  faithful  a  picture  of  this  night-fishing,  which  he  himself 
practised. 

"  And  now,  having  told  the  young  angler  where  to  search  for  fish, 
I  must  strongly  impress  upon  him  the  necessity  of  keeping  out  of 
sight  of  the  fish,  for,  if  once  seen,  not  any  kind  of  bait  he  can  offer 
will  tempt  a  Trout  to  take  it ;  therefore,  approach  the  stream  with 


TROUT    FISHING. 


271 


uuQtion,  keeping  as  far  from  it  as  possible  :  first,  fish  the  side  nearest 
to  you,  and  then  cast  your  line  so  as  to  drop  just  under  the  bank  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  drawing  it,  by  gentle  snatches, 
towards  you,  always  continuing  careful  to  show  yourself  as  little  as 
possible. 

"  Some  persons  recommend  fishing  up  stream,  and  throwing  the  fly 
before  them ;  others  walk  down  the  river,  and  cast  the  fly  before  them. 
For  my  own  part — after  much  experience — whenever  I  can  do  so 
with  convenience,  I  cast  my  fly  a  little  above  me,  and  across  the 
stream,  drawing  it  gently  towards  me.  If  the  wind  should  be  against 
you,  you  will  be  constrained  to  stand  close  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
make  your  cast  close  to  the  bank  on  which  you  stand,  either  up  or 
down  the  stream,  as  the  wind  may  serve.  Avoid,  if  possible,  fishing 
with  the  eun  behind  you,  as  the  moving  shadow  of  yourself  and  rod 
will  alarm  the  fish.  The  finer  the  tackle — particularly  the  bottom 
tackle — and  the  lighter  the  fly  falls  on  the  water,  the  greater  will  be 
your  sport ;  indeed,  some  anglers  use  only  a  single  hair  for  their 
bottom  tackle ;  but  when  the  water  you  fish  is  weedy,  or  much  wooded, 
a  single  hair  is  very  difficult  to  manage  ;  but  in  ponds,  or  streams,  free 
from  impediments,  it  may  be  used  by  a  skilful  hand  with  great  advan- 
tage. The  winds  most  favorable  to  the  angler  are  south,  southeast, 
southwest,  and  northwest ;  but  in  March  and  April  this  latter  wind 
is  generally  too  cold.  A  fresh  breeze  is  favorable,  especially  for  lake- 
fishing,  mill-dams,  or  the  still  deeps  of  rivers ;  as  the  ripple  on  the 
water,  caused  by  the  breeze,  has  the  same  effect  as  a  rapid  stream,  ia 
preventing  the  sharp-sighted  Trout  from  discovering  the  deception  of 
the  artificial  fly. 

"  In  lake-fishing  you  can  hardly  have  too  much  wind,  if  you  can 
manage  your  boat  comfortably,  and  keep  your  fly  on  the  water. 
There  are  very  few  lakes,  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  where  good 
sport  can  be  had  from  the  shore  ;  to  ensure  success,  a  boat  is  indis- 
pensable ;  and  if  you  can  procure  a  boatman  well  acquainted  with  the 
water,  and  the  management  of  his  boat,  the  battle  is  half  won.  After 
sunset  the  fish  seek  the  shallow  water,  and  a  lake  may  tlien  be  fished 
from  the  shore.  I  have  found,  from  long  experience  in  lake-fishing, 
that  it  is  better  to  cast  your  line  towards  the  shore,  rather  than  from 
the  shore,  or  up  or  down  the  lake.     The  boat  should  be  maintained, 


\^m 


ml^M 


^ , 


272 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


as  far  as  possible,  at  a  proper  distance  from  the  shore — that  is,  so  that 
your  flics  may  fall  where  thie  water  begins  to  deepen  from  the  shore. 
The  boat  should  be  allowed  to  drift  with  the  wind,  and  the  oars  used 
as  seldom  as  possible,  and  merely  to  keep  it  in  a  proper  position  and 
distance  from  the  shore.  The  flies  used  in  lake-fishing  are  larger 
than  those  for  rivers  ;  and  I  have  frequently  observed  that  the  winged 
flies  answer  better  than  palmers.  Perhaps  the  cause  of  this  may  be, 
that  many  rivers  and  small  Trout  streams  are  bordered  with  trees, 
which  overhang  them,  and  from  which  drop  the  insects  that  the 
p&lmers  imitate ;  whereas  the  shores  of  the  lake  are  generally  rocky, 
or  stony,  and  mostly  denuded  of  trees,  and  consequently  do  not  pro- 
duce this  kind  of  food  for  their  finny  inhabitants." 


"  BUSH-FISHING,    DIBBINO,   OR    DAPINO. 

"  One  great  recommendation  to  bush-fishing  is,  that  it  can  be  prac- 
tised with  success  in  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August,  when  the 
river  is  low,  and  the  sunshine  bright,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  day ; 
at  a  time  and  season  when  no  other  circimistance  would  stir  a  fish,  the 
largest  Trout  are  taken  by  this  method.  The  angler  must  be  provided 
with  a  fourtecn-feet  rod,  with  a  stiif  top,  and  strong  running  tackle ; 
he  will  seldom  have  to  use  more  than  a  yard  of  line,  the  bottom  of 
which  should  be  of  strong  silkworm  gut.  I  recommend  strong  tackle, 
because,  in  confined  situations,  overhung  with  wood,  you  will  not  have 
room  to  play  your  fish,  but  must  hold  him  tight,  and  depend  on  the 
strength  of  the  tackle. 

"  The  size  of  your  hook  must  depend  on  the  size  of  your  fly,  from 
No.  7  to  9  for  small  flies  and  grubs,  and,  for  beetles,  No.  4  or  5. 
For  bush-fishing,  you  should  be  provided  with  well-scoured  brandlings 
and  red  worm,  cad-baits,  clock-baits,  earth-grubs,  beetles,  grasshop- 
pers, and  a  horn  of  flics,  or,  at  least,  as  many  of  the  above  as  you 
can  procure.  A  small  green  grub,  or  caterpillar,  which  may  be  got 
in  June  and  July,  by  shaking,  over  a  sheet  or  tablecloth,  the  boughs 
of  an  oak-tree,  is  a  most  killing  bait  for  this  kind  of  fishing. 

"  Great  caution  is  necessary  in  using  your  rod  and  line  ;  for,  if 
there  are  few  bushes  or  brambles  to  conceal  you,  the  water  must  be 
approached  warily,  as  the  large  Trout  often  lie  near  the  surface,  and, 


TROUT    PISHING. 


273 


if  you  are  once  seen,  they  will  fly  from  you  If  the  water  should  be 
deep,  dark,  and  overhung  with  thick  foliage,  so  that  you  can  scarcely 
find  an  open  space  for  your  bait,  your  line  must  be  shortened  to  half 
a  yard,  and  sometimes  less. 

"  If  your  flies  are  small,  use  two  of  them  at  once,  as  they  frequently 
fall  into  the  water  in  couples  ;  when  daping  with  the  fly,  if  you  see 
your  fish,  drop  the  fly  gently  on  to  the  water,  about  a  foot  before  him, 
and  if  you  are  not  seen,  he  will  eagerly  take  it.  When  your  fish  is 
struck,  do  not  allow  him  to  get  down  his  head,  for  fear  of  roots  ami 
weeds,  but  keep  him  to  the  top  of  the  water,  where  his  fins  and 
strength  will  be  of  little  use  to  him  ;  and  in  this  situation,  with  good 
tackle,  you  may  soon  exhaust  him,  and  make  him  your  own  by  a 
landing-net,  the  handle  of  which  should  be  two  yards  long ;  or  he 
may  be  landed  by  a  hook  or  gaff,  with  a  long  handle  ;  and  this,  in 
some  situations,  amidst  close,  thorny  brambles,  will  be  found  more 
\iS8ful  than  a  landing-net,  which  is  liable  to  bo  caught  in  the  bushes. 

"  When  you  use  the  worm,  the  caddis,  or  any  other  grub,  you  will 
require  a  single  shot.  No.  6,  to  sink  your  bait,  for  it  cannot  sink  too 
slowly,  or  cause  too  little  disturbance  in  the  water." 

No.  1.  Mayflies,  perfect,  and  embryo. 
No.  2.  Stoncfly,  perfect,  and  embryo. 


>>•• 


V  I 


274 


AMEHtCAN  FISHES. 


LAKE  TROUT  FISHING. 


These  great,  bad,  coarse  and  unsporting  fish,  of  all  the  three  varie- 
ties, are  very  nearly  similar  in  their  habits,  lying  for  the  most  part  in 
the  deepest  parts  of  the  great  lakes,  seeking  their  food  in  the  depths, 
and  very  rarely  rising  to  the  surface,  either  for  food  or  play.  Of 
those  the  great  Mackinaw  Salmon  is  perhaps  the  liveliest,  and  the 
common  Lake  Trout,  Salmo  Confinis^  of  DeKay,  the  heaviest  and 
most  worthless. 

They  will  scarce  ever  rise  to  a  fly,  and  can  rarely  be  taken  even 
with  a  spinning  minnow ;  with  a  live  bait,  however,  or  a  peacock-fly, 
submerged  to  a  considerable  depth,  with  a  bullet  at  the  end  of  two 
hundred  yards  of  line,  played  from  a  stiff  rod  at  the  stern  of  a  light 
skiff  or  canoe  moved  rapidly  through  the  water  by  sails  or  oars,  they 
can  be  caught  with  considerable  certainty.  When  hooked,  however, 
they  are  but  a  heavy,  torpid  fish,  bearing  down  with  a  sullen  dead 
weight,  and  offering  little  more  than  a  passive  resistance.  My  friend 
William  T.  Porter,  who  constantly  fishes  in  the  waters  of  Hamilton 
county,  informs  me  that  he  has  been  exceedingly  and  almost  invariably 
successful  with  what  seems  a  very  strange  and  unsporting  combination, 
a  small  fish  namely,  and  a  large  fly  on  the  same  line,  at  about  a  yard's 
distance  asunder. 

The  commonest  way,  by  far,  of  angling  for  the  common  Lake  Trout 
is  with  a  stout  drop-line  and  a  Cod-hook  baited  with  a  piece  of  salt 
pork,  or  the  belly  of  a  Yellow  Pearch  or  Brook  Trout  let  down  into 
ten  or  fifteen  fathom  water.  The  fish  bites,  gorges  his  bait,  for  which 
you  may  allow  him  a  few  seconds'  time,  after  which  ho  is  hauled  in  by 
main  force.  He  is  very  indifferent  eating,  but  perhaps  the  best  way 
of  preparing  him  when  quite  fresh  out  of  water,  is  to  crimp  him  to  the 
bone  after  stunnning  him  with  a  heavy  blow  on  the  head,  wrap  hira  up 
in  a  cover  of  thick  greased  paper,  and  roast  him  without  removing  the 


LAKE    TROUT    FISHING 


275 


entrails,  which  will  como  away  at  a  touch  when  he  is  cooked,  under 
the  ashes  of  a  wood  fire. 

The  greatest  Mackinaw  Salmon,  or  Nainaycush,  and  the  Mosauia- 
cush,  or  Arctic  Charr,  the  latter  a  delicious  and  very  voracious  fish,  are 
both  taken  in  tho  samo  manner,  in  very  deep  water,  in  the  summer, 
and  through  holes  cut  in  tho  ice  in  the  dead  of  winter.  The  favorite 
bait  for  both  these  fishes,  is  the  belly  of  the  yellow  or  gray  sucking 
Carp,  or  a  piece  of  tho  raw  heart  or  livor  of  a  deer. 

The  Mackinaw  fish  is,  however,  a  far  bolder  fish  than  any  of  his 
race,  and  occasionally  follows  any  shining  bait  or  squid  up  to  the  very 
surface  of  the  water,  if  it  is  sunk  by  means  of  a  weight,  and  then 
trolled  sharply  upward  and  onward  to  the  surface.  A  piece  of  bright 
tin,  with  a  rag  of  scarlet  cloth  attached  to  it,  is,  I  am  informed,  found 
to  bo  very  successful  and  killing  in  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  If  this 
bo  the  case,  of  which  I  am  well  assured,  there  can  be  little  or  no  doubt 
that  the  deadly  spoon,  as  it  is  called,  an  implement  shaped  precisely 
like  the  bowl  of  a  table  spoon,  of  bright  metal,  silver-washed  within, 
and  brazed  without,  attached  by  a  swivel  at  the  lower  extremity  to  a 
stout  triple  hook,  and  at  the  upper  to  a  piece  of  strong  gimp — ^which  is 
eo  murderously  destructive  to  the  Black  Bass  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
the  Mascalonge — ^would  bo  found  no  less  effective  with  the  great  Lake 
Trout ;  nor  if  any  one  should  think  it  worth  the  while,  would  any  harm 
be  thought  of  his  applying  any  invention,  however  slaughtering  and 
poacher-like,  to  so  base  and  caitiff  a  fish  as  the  Lake  Salmon. 

Of  Back's  Grayling  it  is  almost  unnecessary  here  to  speak,  so  far 
north  are  his  customary  haunts,  and  so  very  difficult  and  expensive  is 
it  to  reach  the  districts  in  which  only  he  exists.  This  is  the  more  to 
be  regretted  for  that  he  is  one  of  the  finest,  if  not  the  very  finest,  of  all 
the  sporting  fishes  of  America.  He  is  the  boldest  of  biters  at  a  fly, 
taking  all  those  flies  which  are  most  preferred  by  the  Brook  Trout, 
leaping  many  times  out  of  the  water  in  his  efforts  to  extricate  himself 
from  the  hook,  nor  ever  succumbing  to  his  captor's  will  without  a  des- 
perate resistance  and  a  severe  conflict.  His  flesh  is  no  less  delicious, 
and  his  excellence  at  the  board  in  no  wise  inferior  to  his  spirit,  or  the 
beauty  of  his  coloring. 

Of  the  Attihawmeg  or  White-Fish  of  the  great  lakes,  of  the  Otsego 
Bass,  or  as  1  should  desire  to  have  it  hereafter  called,  the  Otsego  I-a- 


278 


AMERICAN  FIAHES. 


varct,  and  of  the  little  Smelt,  which  are  all  intimbcrB  of  this  same 
noble  family,  it  needs  not  to  make  farther  mention.  They  all  have 
been  occasionally  taken  with  the  fly,  and  will  all  undoubtedly  be  often- 
times again  so  captured,  but  the  certainty  of  their  rising  is  by  no 
means  sufficient  to  warrant  the  fisherman  in  wasting  much  time  in 
their  pursuit. 

I  may  here,  before  finishing  this  head  of  my  subject,  observe  that  in 
fact  there  is  scarcely  any  fish  which  will  not,  apparently  from  some 
whim  or  other,  take  the  fly  on  the  surface.  I  have  myself  so  caught 
the  Striped  Bass,  the  Shad,  the  Herring  and  the  Northern  Pickerel 
with  the  Salmon-fly.  All  the  family  of  the  small  Cyprinida,  as  the 
Roach,  Dace,  Bream  and  Chub,  will  at  times  bite  freely.  In  the  Black 
River  a  species  of  this  family  rises  very  freely,  and  gives  good  sport. 
It  is  there  called  the  Chub,  and  is,  I  believe,  identical  with  another  of 
the  same  division,  known  as  the  Wind-Fish  in  some  of  the  streams  of 
Duchess  County,  in  the  State  of  New  York  ;  and  a  thoroughly  good 
fisherman  of  the  city  informed  me  yesterday  that  he  had  even  caught 
Suckers  with  a  Trout-fly,  a  fact,  which  but  for  the  very  great  respec- 
tability of  the  source  whence  I  derived  the  information,  I  should  hardly 
have  been  inclined  to  credit. 

None  of  these  unimportant  little  fish,  however,  give  sport  enough, 
or  are  sufficiently  good  on  the  table,  to  make  them  worthy  the  pursuit 
of  others  than  boys,  snobs,  and  the  ladies,  who  must  pardon  me  for 
the  company  into  which  I  have  introduced  them,  certainly  not  accord- 
ing to  their  merits,  on  my  estimation  of  them. 

Note  to  Revised  Edition. — See  Supplement,  article  Lake  Trout,  for  some  altered 
views  and  further  instructions  in  regard  to  the  tackle  and  mode  of  taking  this  fish. 
I  am  more  than  ever  satisiied  that  there  are  two  disiinct  Lake  Trouts  in  the  New 
England  and  New  York  waters,  apart  from  the  Namaycush  or  Mackinaw  Trout, 
and  the  Siskawitz. 


■  •-'  '--■^  ,'-=-i---^-i^:fe.itf/>n.'a:;e-. 


SALMON    TROUT    F I  SHI NO. 


277 


SALMON   TROUT  FISHING. 


There  is  but  one  region  on  this  oontin^nt  in  wliioh  this  admirable 
spurt  can  be  enjoyed  at  all ;  for,  singulai*  to  aay,  the  fiih  ia  found  only 
in  those  rivers  of  New  Brunswick  which  flow  eastwardly  into  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  Bays  of  Gaspd  and  Chalours. 

As  if  to  make  ainonds,  howjvor,  for  the  narrow  limits  of  their  geo- 
graphical range,  they  ab3olut3ly  swarm,  daring  their  season,  in  all  the 
rivers  which  they  frequent,  traversing  the  sea  bays  in  enormous  sohuUs, 
and  running  up  all  the  rivers  to  the  haad  of  tide  water,  beyond  which 
they  do  not  ascend  on  these  coasts.  Why  this  should  be  the  case  it  is  not 
easy  to  conjecture,  since  it  would  appear  to  indioata  a  variation  in  the 
species  from  one  of  the  normal  habits  of  the  race — that,  I  mean,  which 
dictates  to  the  parent  fish  that  they  must  run  up  into  the  aerated  waters 
of  pure  fresh  rivers,  in  order  to  deposit  their  ova. 

It  may  be,  though  I  am  not  prepared  to  state  that  it  is,  the  fact,  that 
the  ascent  of  all  these  rivers  beyond  a  certain  point  is  rendered  im- 
possible to  the  fish,  by  long  rapids,  or  impassable  cataracts,  and  that, 
perceiving  the  impossibility  of  arriving  at  the  place  of  their  proper 
and  natural  dastination,  the  fish  themselves  cease  to  attempt  it,  and 
merely  run  up  from  the  brackish  into  the  fresh  water,  in  order  to  enjoy 
those  alternations  of  temperature  and  food,  in  which  all  this  family 
would  appear  especially  to  rejoice. 

In  the  Scottish  and  English  waters,  the  Salmon  Trout,  like  the  true 
Salmon,  ascend  quite  to  the  head  waters  of  the  streams  which  they 
frequent,  and  deposit  their  ova  precisely  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
other  of  their  congeners.  Here,  it  is  evident,  from  Mr.  Perley's  re- 
ports to  the  British  Parliament  on  the  Fisheries  of  the  Province,  that 
they  do  nothing  of  the  kind. 

In  the  St.  Lawrence,  I  have  never  heard  of  their  being  taken  above 
Montreal,  and  rarely  above  Quebec,  although  there  is  no  obstruction  of 


\  I 


278 


AMKRICAN    KIMIIES. 


Jiny  sort  to  liindor  thuir  running  (juito  up  to  tho  uiouth  of  Niiigiiru,  as 
ia  tho  cuHO  with  tho  true  Sulnion. 

Ono  thing,  however,  it  may  bo  observed  in  this  connexion,  is  very 
evident — that  wo  know,  conjparatively  spcttking,  ahuost  nothing  of  tho 
nature  of  fishes'  instincts. 

That  they  possess  exceedingly  tenacious  memories,  I  cannot  in  the 
least  doubt ;  and  I  have  more  almost  than  strong  suspicion  that  these 
memories  became  hereditary,  and  aro  so  transmitted  from  generutiou 
to  generation. 

In  no  other  way  can  we  account  for  that  extraordinary  instinct 
which  leads  back  the  young  bird  to  tho  nest  in  which  it  was  hatelu^d, 
the  grilse  to  the  river  in  which  it  had  its  birth — since  tho  young  birds 
are  deserted  by  their  parents  at  a  period  long  antecedent  to  thoii' 
return  from  their  migration,  and  tho  fish  never  have  tho  protection  of 
their  progenitors. 

Nor  in  any  other  way  can  we  explain  the  fact  that  tho  true  Salmon 
never  enter  the  Niagara  River,  although  they  run  quite  up  to  its 
mouth  ;  even  if  we  admit  that  its  waters  aro  entirely  unfitted  for  the 
purposes  of  the  fish,  and  that  it  contains  no  shoals  suited  for  spawning- 
grounds  ;  for  otherwise,  we  should  expect  that  every  individual  fish 
would  visit  it  at  least  once,  in  order  to  get  a  taste  of  its  quality,  and 
then  finding  it  unsuitable,  desert  it ;  whereas  it  is  not  on  record  that 
any  fish  has  ever  been  taken  of  this  species  within  its  embouchure. 

It  may  be  that  this  wonderful  power  is  an  especial  gift  of  Provi- 
dence, preventing  the  fish  from  wasting  too  much  time  in  seeking  out 
a  haunt,  and  so  losing  the  season  for  the  propagation  of  its  species,  by 
conducting  it  truly,  as  the  needle  to  the  magnetic  pole,  to  the  stream 
in  which  it  was  bred. 

Be  this,  however,  as  it  may,  certain  it  is  that  in  all  the  rivers  which 
flow  eastwardly  from  the  Provinces  into  tho  Northern  Atlantic,  with 
every  flood-tide  a  horde  of  these  beautiful  fishes  run  up  until  thoy 
strike  the  junction  of  the  salt  and  fresh  water,  usually  at  the  foot  of  a 
fall  or  rapid,  and  there  remain  disporting  themselves  in  the  bright 
eddies,  and  throwing  themselves  quite  out  of  their  native  element, 
in  pursuit  of  their  scaly  prey. 

In  these  places  they  will  take  very  greedily  any  of  the  Scottish  or 
Irish  gaudy  lake-flies,  leaping  out  of  the  water  to   ako  and  seize  them, 


BAIMUN    TROUT    fltHIWO. 


U79 


und  ri»ing  no  voraciously  and  rapidly,  that  it  in  futnid  iiiipoKNiblo  to  fish 
with  above  ono,  or  at  tho  most,  two  flies;  us  it  is  not  iil  all  an  unusual 
thing,  if  fishing  with  three,  to  hook  at  tho  same  mom  nt  threo  several 
fishes. 

IiithoObscifhe,  several  years  since,  Mr.  i'eiley,  who  vi.sited  those 
waters  in  his  official  capacity,  accompanied  by  Capt.  Egcrton,  of  II. 
M.  43d  Light  Infantry,  killed  three  hundred  of  these  fine  fish  at  the 
junction  of  the  fresh  and  salt  water,  at  tho  foot  of  a  long  glancing 
rapid,  in  a  single  tide  ;  and  tho  former  gentleman  writes  me  word,  that 
ono  morning  last  season  he  killed,  in  an  hour  or  two,  eight  fish,  which 
weighed  forty  pounds. 

This  must  bo  regarded,  however,  as  an  unusual  run  of  luck  ;  for  tho 
average  sizo  of  tho  Salmon  Trout  does  not  appear  to  exceed  four 
pounds,  although  they  arc  taken  up  to  sjven  and  eight. 

In  the  fresh  water,  within  tho  rivers,  they  are  taken  exactly  as  the 
Salmon,  or  Brook  Trout,  with  a  double  or  tsingle-handed  rod  indiffe- 
rently, and  with  any  of  the  baits  or  flics  which  are  killing  to  the  others 
of  tho  family  ;  but  best  of  all,  with  a  scarlet  Ibis  fly,  with  a  gold  tinsel 
body,  which  it  prefers  even  in  bright  water,  to  the  best  peacock  hcrl 
and  gay  feather  lake-flies.  Although  a  fine  game  fish,  a  strong  fighter, 
and  hard  dier,  the  Salmon  Trout  often  comes  in  for  a  share  of  tho 
Salmon  fisher's  maledictions,  jumping  incessantly  at  the  deceits  in- 
tended to  fasciiiate  a  larger  and  more  potent  victor,  and  in  fact,  for 
insisting  on  being  taken  in  lieu  of  its  great  congener. 

In  the  sea  bays,  ijuite  out  of  sight  of  land,  while  roving  along  tho 
coasts,  in  search  probably  of  its  favorite  estuary,  tho  Salmon  Trout  is 
caught  nearly  as  wo  catch  Mackerel  or  Blue  B'ish,  by  trolling  with  the 
Ibis  fly,  above  described,  at  the  end  of  thirty  or  forty  yards  of  line, 
from  the  stern  of  a  sailing-boat,  under  all  canvass,  in  a  stiff  Mackerel 
breeze. 

For  this  sport  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  reel,  with  not  less  than  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  line — as  the  largest  fish  are  taken  by  this  method,  and 
make  a  very  violent  resistance  before  they  can  be  brought  home. 

The  fly  is  kept  skipping  from  wave  to  wave,  as  the  boat  lavcers,  or 
boats  to  windward,  and  tho  fish  throwing  itself  out  of  the  sea  to  secure 
it  with  its  beautiful  bright  sides  flashing  like  virgin  silver  in  the  sun- 
light, and  when  struck,  constantly  dashing  away  with  the  whole  of  the 


':w 


■M 

ifei 
M 


u 


280 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


line  from  the  whizzing  reel,  and  giving  a  long  run  down  wind,  there 
is  perhaps  no  sport  in  existence  more  full  of  pleasant  excitement  and 
adventure. 

Nor  when  taken  is  the  prisoner  unworthy  of  the  pains  it  has  cost  to 
kill  him  ;  for  although  smaller,  he  is  in  all  other  respects  nearly  of 
equal  excellence  with  the  true  Salmon,  and  occupies  a  place  second  to 
him  alone,  with  the  judicious  epicure. 

Right  well  would  it  repay  some  of  our  gallant  yachters,  to  turn  the 
heads  of  their  tight  crafts  easterly,  and  bear  away,  as  the  old  song  has 
it,  with  a  wet  sheet  and  a  flowing  sail,  for  the  rock-bound  shores  of 
Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  for  once  there,  right  hospitable 
would  they  find  their  welcome,  and  their  sport  right  royal. 


t-mj 


PICKF.REI,    FISHING. 


281 


PICKEREL   FISHING. 


From  the  gigantic  Mascalonge  and  its  nearly  equal  congener,  the 
great  Northern  Pickerel,  to  the  small  barred  variety,  which  is  found 
only  in  the  waters  of  Long  Island,  the  whole  of  this  fierce  and  vora- 
cious family  affords  great  sport  to  the  fresh-water  angler  ;  and  where 
the  Trout  and  Salmon  do  not  obtain,  they  are  considered  as  the  kings 
of  the  waters.  There  are  many  modes  of  fishing  for  them,  and  the  baits 
which  they  will  take  are  almost  innumerable,  comprehending  in  their 
range  almost  the  whole  animal  creation,  fish,  flesh,  fowl  and  reptile. 

When  of  great  size  they  are  excessively  destructive — not  to  other 
fish  only,  of  which  they  are  the  tyrants,  but  to  frogs,  water-rats,  and 
even  the  young  of  wild-fowl. 

They  are  taken  either  with  trimmers,  that  is  to  say,  small  floating 
buoys  with  a  rude  reel  attached,  and  a  dependent  live  bait,  with  long 
set-lines  ;  or  again,  by  roving  with  the  live,  or  trolling  with  the  dead 
bait.  In  the  former  mode,  it  is  the  better  way  to  use  two  moderate- 
sized  hooks,  one  passed  through  the  lip,  and  the  other  through  the  dor- 
sal fin  of  the  bait,  which  should  be  sunk  about  two  feet  below  the  sur- 
face, with  a  large  float  on  the  line,  and  suffered  to  swim  about  at  his 
pleasure. 

By  this  method,  however,  large  Pearch  are  often  taken  instead  of 
the  proper  fish,  and  trolling  with  the  gorge-hook,  or  fishing  with  the 
snap-hook  is  by  far  better  sport — especially  the  former — more  legiti- 
mate, more  exciting,  and  last,  not  least,  more  killing. 

Of  these  methods,  Mr.  Hofland,  in  his  British  Angler's  Manual, 
thus  discourses — and  altliough  he  is  speaking  of  the  English  Pike, 
£!sox  Lucius,  not  of  tha  Mascalonge  or  Pickerel,  as  the  fishes  are  of 
the  same  family,  and  the  modes  to  bo  pursued  in  capturing  them  in  all 
respects  identical,  I  have  not  hesitated  to  extract  his  able  and  well- 
written  description  ;  I  must  premise,  however,  that   where  he  spfjaks 


-.    ■ .  '.    '■^- . 


•■X*  >v;  ''i'liP 


282 


AMERICAN  FISHKS. 


of  Dace,  Bleak  or  Gudgeon  for  bait,  we  must  substitute  the  Roach,  the 
Minnow,  th3  small  Bream,  the  Is'ew  York  Shinor,  or,  which  is  dici- 
daJly  thj  bist  aai  most  killiaj  of  all,  the  younj  f.y,  or  Parr,  of  the 
Brook  Trout. 

Like  Mr.  Hofland,  I  infinitely  prefer  trolling  with  the  gorge-hook, 
a  reprcsontation  of  which  is  annexed  bdow,  to  fishing  cither  with  the 
common  snap,  or  witli  what  is  here  called  the  sockdollager-hook  ; 
which  last  I  regard  as  a  great  and  dang3rous  humbug. 

The  rod  for  Piki^-trolling  is  well  de-scribed  below  by  Mr.  Hofland, 
but  one  of  Conroy's  best  general  rods  with  spare  tops — which  is,  in 
fact,  the  best  for  everything  except  fly-fishing,  such  as  is  used  for  Bass 
or  Weak- Fish  though  with  rather  a  stronger  or  stiffer  top — will  be 
found  all-suflicient.  In  my  opinion,  a  large  click-reel,  such  as  we  use 
for  Salmon,  and  a  stout  silken  line  of  a  hundred  yards  or  better,  will 
bo  found  preferable  to  the  contrivances  of  which  Mr.  Hofland  dis- 
courses. 

In  casting  the  bait,  the  butt  of  the  rod  should  be  set  against  the 
right  hip,  with  the  point  inclined  to  the  left ;  the  bait  should  hang  at 
the  end  of  some  ten  or  fifteen  yards  of  line,  and  as  many  more  should 
be  drawn  off"  the  reel  and  held  loosely  in  the  left  hand,  the  right  hand 
grasping  the  butt  about  a  yard  above  its  extremity. 

The  body  should  then  be  turned  slowly  to  the  left,  and  brought 
round  again,  with  a  quick  jerk,  to  its  original  position;  the  rod,  as 
described  before,  will  follow  the  same  motion,  and  deliver  its  bait  with 
great  velocity  and  accuracy,  the  left  hand  playing  out  the  line  and 
checking  its  motion  gently,  so  as  to  drop  the  bait  upon  the  surface  al- 
most without  creating  a  ripple,  certainly  without  a  splash. 

A  little  practice  will  soon  enable  the  merest  tyro  to  deliver  a  dead 
bait  on  a  leaded  gorge  into  the  circumference  of  his  hat  at  twonty-five 
or  thirty  yards  ;  and  let  him  remember,  that  the  longer  his  casts,  the 
better  and  more  like  to  kill. 

The  bait,  after  being  cast,  should  be  drawn  gently  and  gradually 
home,  the  left  hand  constantly  giving  out  and  retracting  the  lino ; 
which,  with  the  aid  of  one  or  two  swivels  above  the  gimp  arming  of 
the  gorge-hook,  will  cause  tlie  fish  to  spin  and  glance  beautifully  in 
tlio  water,  and  will  render  it  a  most  attractive  bait. 

Hoflaud's  iubtiuctions  for  ntriking  and  playing  this  fin  *  fish  cannot 


PICKEREL    FISHING. 


283 


be  8urpasse«! ;  and  paying  due  attention  to  the  above,  and  giving  heed 
to  Ills  instructions,  the  young  angler  will  hardly  fail  of  sport  in  any  of 
tho  inland  lakes  or  rivers  of  this  country  from  Maine  to  Lake  Supe- 
rior and  La  Belle  Riviere,  as  the  French  designate  the  Ohio,  and  from 
the  Atlantic  coasts  to  the  Arctic  Circle. 

"  I  must  here  inform  tho  novice  in  trolling,  that  littb  sport  can  bo 
expected  without  a  tolerably  clear  wator. 

"  Nobbs,  the  father  of  the  art  of  trolling,  speaks  of  April  and 
May  as  the  best  months ;  but,  with  due  deference  to  so  great  an 
authority,  I  should  say  September,  October,  and  November,  are  the 
best  months,  as  the  fish  are  then  in  prime  season,  and  are  worth 
taking,  whereas  in  April  and  May  they  have  not  recovered  from 
spawning,  and  although  they  may  feed  freely,  they  will  be  lank  and 
thin,  and  in  bad  condition. 

"  Early  in  March  the  Pike  are  often  taken  full  of  spawn,  but  at 
this  season  they  will  seldom  gorge  the  bait,  and  are  generally  taken 
by  the  snap.  In  the  autumn,  rivers  and  ponds  begin  to  lose  their 
weeds,  which,  in  spring  and  summer,  are  so  troublesome  to  the  troUer, 
and  the  fish  then  take  to  the  deep  holes,  and  their  haunts  are  more 
easily  found.  The  troller  cannot  be  too  early  or  too  late  at  his  sport, 
for  during  the  middle  of  the  day  the  fish  seldom  feed,  unless  it  be 
cloudy  and  the  breeze  fresh. 

"  The  best  baits  for  Jack  and  Pike  are  Roach,  Dace,  Bleak,  Gud- 
geon, Minnow,  small  Chub,  and  Trout,  or  the  Skegger  or  Brandling  ; 
when  none  of  these  can  be  procm-ed,  a  small  Perch,  by  cutting  away 
the  back  fin,  may  be  used.  Indeed,  in  the  lakes  of  Derwent water  and 
Bassonthwaite,  and  various  places  where  other  fish  are  scarce,  and  the 
small  Bass  or  Perch  plentiful,  it  is  the  bait  in  general  use.  It  is  of 
tho  utmost  consequence  that  the  baits  should  be  perfectly  fresh  and 
sweet ;  although  a  Pike  might  run  at  a  stale  bait,  he  will  rarely  pouch 
it,  even  at  the  snap  :  your  baits  cannot  be  too  bright  or  fresh. 

"  Many  writers  have  recommended  birds,  mice,  frogs,  &c.,  as  baits, 
but  whore  small  fish  can  be  procured,  no  other  will  be  wanted  :  of  all 
the  baits  montionod,  I  prefer  a  moderato-sizod  Gudgeon,  more  espe- 
cially for  the  gorge-hook,  as  the  sweetness  of  the  fish  makes  the  Pike 
more  eager  to  pouch  it. 


V  i 


284 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


"  On  a  dark  day,  and  when  the  water  is  not  very  clear,  I  should 
prefer  a  clean,  bright,  small  Roach,  Dace  or  Bleak,  particularly  when 
fishing  at  the  snap.  When  your  fish  are  not  kept  alive  in  a  bait-can, 
they  should  bo  carried  in  a  tin  box,  and  laid  in  a  little  fine  bran,  or 
pollard,  and  carefully  washed  before  you  bait  with  them. 


(( 


TROLLING    TACKLE. 


*'  The  rod  should  be  of  strong  bamboo  cane,  and  from  ten  to  twelve 
feet  long,  with  a  tolerably  stiff"  top  of  whalebone  or  hickory ;  the 
rings  should  be  five  in  number  and  not  less  than  three-eighths  of  an 
inch  diameter  in  the  opening,  that  the  line  may  run  freely, 

"  A  strong  winch  will  be  required,  which  must  hold  at  least  forty 
yards  of  line,  that  is  not  subject  to  kink.  Mr.  Jesse  recommends  a 
trolling-line  sold  by  Mr.  Barth,  of  Cockspur-street,  and  I  have  seen 
a  very  good  sort  of  line  for  this  purpose,  manufactured  by  Mr.  Bazin, 
Duncan-place,  Hackney.  Some  troUers  prefer  a  rod  twenty  feet  long, 
in  which  case  your  cast  on  the  water  is  made  in  the  same  manner  as 
in  spinning  the  minnow  for  Trout,  but  with  a  longer  line  ;  and  the 
lighter  your  bait  falls  upon  the  water  the  grfcu,ter  your  success.  Mr. 
Jesse  strongly  recommends  the  use  of  a  wooden  reel,  one  of  about 
four  inches  and  a  half  across,  having  the  rim  grooved  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  line. 

"  '  These  reels  turn  round  with  great  rapidity  when  the  cast  is 
made,  letting  out  a  sufficient  length  of  line,  and  are  wound  up  again 
by  turning  them  with  the  fore-finger.  They  are  much  to  be  preferred 
to  the  common  brass  reel,  especially  in  fishing  from  a  boat ;  they 
avoid  the  noise  and  much  of  the  trouble  of  winding  up,  and  the  line 
never  kinks.' 

"  A  reel  similar  to  this  is  used  by  salmon-fishers  in  Scotland,  and 
is  there  called  a  pirn.  It  will  require  much  practice  to  enable  the 
novice  to  cast  a  long  line  when  the  river  is  wide,  but  in  small  streams 
he  will  find  little  difficulty.  Some  anglers  prefer  fishing  with  the 
gorge-hooks,  others  with  snap-hooks  ;  but  my  own  experience  induces 
me  to  prefer  tlie  former  as  the  best  general  mode  of  trolling  ;  and  this 
kind  of  fi.ihing  I  shall  first  describe. 


* 

I 

i 

PICKEREL 

FISHING. 

285 

'  ■     ■ 

(( 

r  H  E 

OOKGE-HOOK. 

; 

({ 

Is  either 

a 

double 

or 

sinifh 

3  hook 

.  fixed  on 

twisted  brass 

wire, 

find 

loaded  on  the  shank  with  lead,  to  which  is  attached  a  piece  of  gimp, 
eight  or  ten  inches  long,  at  the  end  of  which  is  a  small  loop.  To 
bait  this  hook  you  must  have  a  brass  needle,  about  seven  inches  long  ; 
put  the  loop  of  the  gimp  on  the  eye,  or  small  curve,  of  the  needle ; 
then  put  the  point  of  the  needle  in  at  the  mouth  of  the  fish,  and 
bring  it  out  at  his  tail ;  bring  the  gimp  and  wire  along  with  it,  the 
lead  being  fixed  in  the  belly  of  the  bait-fish,  and  the  hook  or  hooks 
lying  close  to  the  outside  of  his  mouth  ;  then  turn  the  points  of  the 
hooks  towards  his  eyes,  if  a  double  hook,  but  if  a  single  one,  directly 
in  a  line  with  his  belly  ;  next  tie  the  fish's  tail  to  the  arming  wire 
very  neatly,  with  strong  thread.  To  the  line  on  your  reel  you  must 
attach  a  gimp-trace,  twenty-four  inches  long,  having  a  swivel  at  each 
end,  and  one  in  the  middle.  The  spring  swivel,  at  the  end  of  your 
line,  is  to  be  hooked  on  the  loop  of  your  baited  trace,  and  you  are 
ready  for  sport. 

"  When  you  are  thus  prepared,  drop  in  your  bait  lightly  before  you, 
then  cast  it  on  each  side,  and  let  the  third  throw  be  across  the  river, 
or  as  far  as  you  can  reach — still  letting  the  bait  fall  lightly  on  the 
water.  In  each  case  let  your  bait  fall  nearly  to  the  bottom  ;  then 
draw  it  up  gently  towards  you,  and  again  let  it  sink  and  rise  till  you 
draw  it  out  of  the  water  for  another  cast. 

"  I  have  before  named  the  favorite  haunts  of  the  Pike,  but  when 
you  are  in  a  good  water  you  should  carefully  fish  every  part  of  it,  for 
you  may  often  have  a  run  where  you  least  expect  it : — weeds  are  a 
great  annoyance  to  the  troUer,  and  he  will  often  bruise  his  bait,  and 
injure  his  tackle,  unless  he  is  very  cautious.  At  every  now  cast  be 
careful  to  examine  the  bait,  and  clear  it  from  leaves  and  weeds,  as  the 
Pike  is  very  dainty,  and  will  not  touch  a  soiled  bait. 

"  The  farther  you  throw  your  bait,  if  the  water  be  broad — provided 
always  that  it  falls  lightly — the  greater  your  chance  of  succe.'is,  so 
that  you  are  not  interrupted  by  weeds,  roots  of  trees,  &c. ;  and  if  the 
water  should  be  very  weedy,  you  will  be  compelled  to  drop  your  bait 
into  deep  clear  openings. 

"  When  you  feel  a  run,  let  your  line  be  perfectly  free,  and  allow 


^~*'fiy$ 


vl:'^ 


li' 


Ti."■^;?< 


.%. 


886 


AMKRICAN   FISIIKS. 


the  fish  to  make  for  his  haunt  without  check  ;  and  when  he  stops  giva 
out  a  little  slack  line.  By  your  watch,  give  him  tf!n  minutes  to  pouch 
the  bait  before  you  strike,  which  you  may  then  do,  by  first  gently 
drawing  in  your  slack  line,  and  then  striking  gently ;  but  should  your 
fish  move  soon  after  he  has  been  to  his  haunt,  give  him  line,  and  he 
will  stop  again  ;  but  after  this,  if  he  move  a  second  time  before  the 
ten  minutes  are  expired,  strike,  and  you  will  most  likely  secure  him  ; 
but  if  he  has  only  been  playing  with  the  bait,  you  will  have  lost  him. 

"  When  I  have  been  so  served  once  or  twice,  I  generally  resort  to 
my  snap-tackle. 

"  If  you  have  fairly  hooked  your  fish,  ho  cannot  easily  break  away, 
and  as  your  tackle  is  strong,  unless  he  is  very  large,  you  need  not 
give  out  much  line,  but  hold  him  fast,  and  clear  of  the  weeds  ;  giving 
him  but  a  short  struggle  for  his  life.  The  gaff  is  better  than  a  net  for 
landing  a  large  Pike,  for  he  is  dangerous  to  handle,  and  his  bite  is 
much  to  be  dreaded. 

"  When  you  are  without  either  gaff  or  landing-net,  seizs  the  fish  by 
putting  your  finger  and  thumb  into  his  eyes.  Half  a  dozen  gorge- 
hooks  may  be  carried  in  a  tin  box,  with  a  little  bran,  ready  baited, 
which  will  generally  serve  for  a  morning's  sport. 


u 


ANGl.IX;    AT    THE    SNAP, 


"  I  shall  first  describe  the  old  fashioned  mode,  although  it  is  now 
rarely  practised. 

"  The  spring-snap  was  formerly  much  in  use,  and  may  bo  purchased 
at  any  of  the  tackle  shops.  It  consists  of  three  hooks,  the  upper  one 
small,  and  the  two  lower  hooks  large.  The  spring  confines  the  lower 
hooks,  but  the  spring  gives  way,  and  the  hooks  spread  out  when  tha 
fish  is  struck,  and  hold  him  securely. 

"  It  is  baited  by  introducing  the  point  of  the  small  hook  undor  tin 
skin  of  the  bait,  on  the  side,  and  bringing  it  out  at  the  back  fin.  Mr. 
Salter  gives  the  following  directions  for  the  double  hook-snap,  which 
may  bo  used  either  with  a  dead  or  live  bait : 

"  '  This  snap-hook  is  a  double  hook,  or  two  single  hooks.  No.  6, 
tied  back  to  back,  on  ginjp  ;  to  bait  this  snap,  use  the  baiting-needle, 
liaving  first  placed  the  loop  of  the  gimp  to  which  the  hooks  are  tied 


PICKEREL    FISUINU. 


287 


M-  tin 

Mr. 

which 


iu  the  eye  of  the  needle.  Enter  the  point  of  the  needle  juat  ahove 
the  gills  of  the  fish,  near  the  back,  avoiding  to  pierce  the  flesh  as 
much  as  possible,  as  it  is  only  intended  that  the  gimp  should  lie  just 
behind  the  skin.  Bring  the  needle  and  the  loop  of  the  gimp  out  near 
the  tail,  and  draw  till  the  hooks  lie  close  to  the  part  your  needle 
entered,  and  arc  somewhat  hid  by  the  gills.  The  bait  will  live  a  long 
time  after  being  thus  hooked,  and  may  be  used  in  fishing  with  a  float, 
by  putting  three  swan  shots  on  the  gimp  to  keep  it  down  : — always 
prefer  a  Gudgeon  for  this  baiting.  I  call  this  a  snap,  because,  when 
fishing  this  way  for  Jack,  I  strike  immediately  I  perceive  a  run,  and 
have  mot  great  success  this  way  of  snap-fishing.  This  snap  may  be 
baited  with  dead  fish,  and  trolled  with.' 

"  Although  I  have  quoted  this  mode  of  keeping  a  bait '  a  long  time 
alive  on  the  hook,'  I  by  no  means  recommend  the  practice  to  my 
young  brothers  of  the  angle,  for  I  have  long  confined  myself  to  the 
use  of  the  dead  bait ;  and  with  the  gorge-hook,  and  the  snap  used  in 
the  manner  I  am  about  to  describe,  the  Pike-fisher  will  never  want 
sport  in  a  well-stored  water. 

"  I  have  before  said,  that  by  spinning  the  Minnow  with  the  same 
kind  of  tackle  as  that  used  in  spinning  the  Bleak  for  Thames  Trout, 
I  have  taken  many  Jack,  Pearch,  and  Trout ;  but  I  have  also  fre- 
quently lost  my  tackle,  by  the  gut  being  bitten  through  by  the  sharp 
teeth  of  the  Pike.  To  remedy  this  evil,  gimp  may  be  employed 
instead  of  gut ;  indeed,  the  snap-tackle  now  g  enerally  sold  at  the 
shops  is  of  this  description,  but  with  larger  hooks  than  I  use,  and 
coarser  gimp. 

"  The  angler  must  now  make  his  casts  in  the  manner  recommended 
in  trolling  with  the  gorge-hook,  letting  the  bait  partly  sink,  and  then 
drawing  it  towards  him  by  gentle  touches,  by  which  means  the  bait 
will  spin  freely,  and  look  bright  and  glittering  in  the  water.  When 
you  feel  or  see  a  bite,  let  the  fish  turn,  and  then  strike  gently,  but 
still  with  sufficient  quickness  and  force  to  make  your  hooks  hold  ;  and 
now,  with  patience  and  perseverance  added  to  these  instructions,  a 
complete  disregard  of  cold  and  wind,  and  a  determination  never  to 
lose  his  temper  at  trifling  disappointments,  the  tyro  may  soon  become 
a  master." 

The  best  waters  for  Pickerel  of  all  kinds  are  deep,  slow,  sullen, 


..'■■:■> -ill 


288 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


11 


Bhadowy  streams,  with  dark,  creeping  waters,  and  shores  fringed  with 
Pickerel-weed,  water-lilies,  and  marsh  grass  ;  and  the  best  places  in 
which  to  cast  for  them  arc  the  edges  and  openings  of  the  floating 
weed-patches,  under  the  cover  of  which  they  are  wont  to  lie  expecting 
their  prey. 

When  the  fish  has  taken  the  bait,  the  great  thing  is  to  give  him 
time  enough  to  gorge  it,  and  not  to  mar  all  by  impatience  in 
striking  before  it  is  time.  Once  hooked,  a  steady  hand,  and  cool 
temper,  will  soon  ensure  his  capture  ;  for  though  he  is  strong  and 
fierce,  his  boldness  and  incautious  way  of  biting  permits  the  use  of 
very  strong  tackle  ;  and  though  he  fights  hard  for  a  while,  he  has  nei- 
ther the  arrowy  rush  nor  the  innumerable  artful  resources  of  the  true 
Salmon. 

Pickerel  fishing  with  trimmers  on  large  lakes,  as  described  under 
the  head  of  Eel  fishing,  is  by  no  means  bad  sport ;  and  if  seve- 
ral large  fish  chance,  as  is  very  often  the  case,  to  be  hooked  at  once, 
the  sinking  and  reappearance  of  the  gaily-painted  buoys,  and  their 
rapid  motion  through  the  water  as  the  terrified  fish  rush  away  with 
them,  ofier  an  amusing  spectacle,  while  the  rapid  chase  with  swiftly- 
rowed  boats  is  full  of  gay  excitement. 

For  this  sport  all  the  limpid  ponds  and  lakelets  of  this  abundantly- 
watered  land  arc  most  admirably  adapted,  from  the  farthest  regions  of 
New  England  through  all  the  Eastern  States  to  the  fine  inland  lakes 
of  Northern  Pennsylvania.  But  to  enjoy  this  sport,  or  that  of  trolling, 
in  perfection,  the  angler  should  visit  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  streams 
of  the  great  basin  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  that  stupendous  river  itself ; 
in  which,  from  the  Thousand  Islands,  among  which  swarm  both  the 
Mascalonge  and  the  Great  Northern  Pickerel,  up  to  the  farthest 
tributaries  of  Lake  Superior,  he  will  find  sport,  how  gluttonous  soever 
he  may  be  of  killing,  which  will  not  disappoint  his  wildest  wishes. 

In  the  s-'^me  manner  as  the  Pike  is  the  Pike-Pearch  or  Sandre,  Lu- 
cioperca  Americana,  erroneously  called  tlie  Ohio  Salmon,  and  other 
absurd  provincial  nicknames,  which  Ls  a  very  fine  and  delicate  fish,  as 
well  as  a  very  sporting  one,  to  be  taken. 

In  the  western  waters  he  is  the  most  abundant,  and  his  favorite 
haunts  are  the  tails  of  mill-races  and  whirling  eddies  under  shady 
banks. 


PICKEREL.    FISHING. 


2F* 


Him  shall  you  surely  take  by  trolling  with  the  Shinor  or  bottom- 
ilshing  with  the  fresh -water  Craj-Fish  ;  nor  will  you  despise  hiiu 
taken  and  smoking  on  your  board. 

The  Black  Uass  and  the  Rock  Bass,  and  the  large  Yellow  Pearch 
may  also  bo  taken  by  trolling  ;  but  there  are  for  these  fish  other  and 
more  appropriate  methods,  of  which  I  shall  treat  under  their  proper 
heads. 


1^' 


2Q0 


AMERICAN  PISHES. 


PEARCH   FISHING, 


In  every  pond  and  river  of  America  is  this  fish  found,  and  none  of 
the  smaller  and  less  vigorous  biters  are  greater  favorites  with  the 
angler. 

There  is,  in  my  opinion,  but  one  distinct  species  of  the  Yellow 
Pearch  in  Ameiica,  although  there  are  several  strongly-marked,  but 
I  think  casual  varieties.  In  the  salt-water  bays,  however,  and  the 
estuaries  of  tide  rivers,  there  are  two  small  and  distinct  species  of  the 
Bass,  the  little  White  Bass,  Lahrax  Pallidus^  and  the  Ruddy  Bass, 
Lahrax  Rufus,  both  of  which  are  constantly  confounded  with  the 
Pearch,  to  which  they  bear  a  strong  resemblance,  being  members  of 
one  and  the  same  family,  and  are  called  by  the  Now  York  fishermen 
Sea  Pearch,  White  Pearch,  and  Salt-water  Pearch. 

These  brave  and  hardy  little  fish  run  from  a  few  ounces  up  to  a 
quarter,  and  occasionally  half  a  pound  weight,  which  may  be  considered 
their  maximum.  They  swim  in  largo  shoals,  near  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  are  a  most  delicious  fish.  The  Yellow  Pearch  is  found 
occasionally  in  company  with  them,  although  he  rather  affects  fresher 
water,  and  I  have  thought  that  when  taken  in  tide  streams  he  wears  a 
greener  garb  than  his  ordinary  dress. 

The  Minnow,  the  red  worm,  and  at  times  small  Shrimp  will  take  all 
these  varieties  in  the  salt  water  ;  and  from  the  very  earliest  dawn  of 
spring  to  the  sotting  in  of  severe  cold  weather,  it  is  rare  but  the  angler 
can  find  some  sport  with  these  quick  and  lively  biters. 

In  almost  every  lakelet  and  pond  from  the  sea-board  to  Lake  Huron, 
the  Pearch  abounds,  swimming  in  company  with  the  Sun-fish,  Pomotis 
Vulgaris,  and  the  New  York  Shiner,  Stilbe  Chrysoleucas ;  they  run 
from  half  a  pound  up  to  three,  four,  and  occasionally  even  five  pounds 
weight. 

Saratoga  Lake,  the  Greenwood  Lake,  in  Orange  County,  New  York, 


PEAKCH     PrHKINO. 


391 


Hopatkong,  in  Sussex  County,  Now  Jersey ,  Seneca  Lake,  and  the 
Northorn  lakes,  Huron  more  espocially,  contain  those  fish  of  the 
largest  size,  and  in  the  greatest  perfection,  but  every  where  they  may 
be  caught  almost  at  any  time. 

In  pond-fishing,  the  common  ground-worm,  on  a  shotted  lino  with  a 
quill-float,  is  perhaps  the  commonest  bait ;  in  America  pastes  are  but 
little  used  as  bait,  nor  in  truth  have  I  any  great  faith  in  them,  although 
they  are  recommended  by  many  good  anglers.  Of  late  years,  how- 
ever, I  think  they  have  lost  repute.  In  the  days  of  old  Isaac  they 
were  esteemed  almost  sovereign. 

The  Minnow,  Shiner,  or  small  Trout  is,  in  this  country,  by  all  odds, 
the  most  taking  bait.  It  should  be  affixed  to  the  line  by  one  or  two 
small  hooks,  either  through  the  lip  or  under  the  dorsal  fin  as  lightly 
aa  possible,  and  being  sunk  with  a  shotted  gut  to  within  a  foot  or  so 
of  the  bottom,  should  be  allowed  to  swim  about  at  his  own  will. 

I  do  not  approve  of  the  frog  for  Pearch  fishing,  although  when  in 
the  humor  they  will  take  this,  or  indeed  almost  any  fish  or  reptile 
bait.  The  following  is  Hofland's  advice  aa  to  the  mode  of  fishing  for 
him ;  and  although  the  English  and  American  species  are  distinct, 
their  habits  are  identical,  and  the  rules  laid  down  below  cannot  bo 
improved  upon. 

The  general  rod  will  do  well  for  taking  Pearch,  but  a  heavy  one  is 
not  required.  A  reel  and  silk  or  grass-line  with  a  gut  bottom,  or 
gimp,  if  Pike  haunt  the  same  waters,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case,  will 
produce  the  desired  effect. 

The  same  tackle  and  mode  of  fishing  will  capture,  at  times,  the 
Pickerel,  the  Pike  Pearch,  the  Rock  Bass,  and  even  the  Trout,  and 
it  is  therefore  well,  in  Pearch  fishing,  always  to  be  provided  with  the 
tackle  necessary  to  secure  larger  fish  than  those  which  you  actually 
expect  to  take,  and  to  be  prepared  and  on  the  look-out  that  you  be 
not  surprised  unawares. 

"  The  Pearch  loves  to  lie  by  the  side  of  the  stream,  and  under 
deep  banks,  or  near  beds  of  the  water-lily,  the  eddies  at  mill-tails, 
and  tumbling  bays,  near  the  old  piles  of  wooden  bridges,  or  old  kemp 
sheeting  ;  the  best  baits  for  a  Perch  are,  the  Minnow,  the  Gudgeon, 
the  red  worm,  and  the  Brandling. 

"  A  Minnow  may  be  used  by  fixing  a  No.  9  hook  under  the  back 


•  •  f 


',! 


292 


AMKRICAN    FISHES. 


■lii        •ill   :    I 


■li  ; 


fin,  or  by  pnHHlnj*  it  through  his  lips,  with  a  cork-float,  carrying;  Hhot 
according  to  tiu!  dupth  of  tho  wator.  You  whould  tinh  within  a  ftiw 
inches  of  tho  bottom,  and  when  a  fish  bitcH,  a  little  time  Nhould  bo 
given  before  you  strike,  as  tho  Peurch  i.s  tender-mouthed,  and,  if  not 
well  hooked,  is  apt  to  break  hia  hold.  Tho  paternoHter  ia  much  uoed 
for  Minnow  fi.shing  ;  it  may  bo  had  at  all  tho  tackle  shops  ;  it  is  sunk 
by  a  small  bullet,  and  has  three  hooks  at  different  distances,  which 
may  bo  baited  in  the  manner  above  described  ;  but  my  favorite  mode 
of  Pearch  fishing  is,  by  spinning  the  dead  Minnow,  which  gives  me  a 
chance,  at  the  same  time,  of  taking  Jack  and  Trout. 

*'  The  Gudgeon  or  the  Bleak  may  of  course  be  used  in  tho  same 
manner  when  largo  Poaroh  are  expected. 

''  In  worm-fishing,  the  Brandling  and  tho  rod  worm  are  the  best ;  a 
No.  8  or  9  hook  may  bo  employed,  and  the  float  must  bo  suitable  for 
tho  water.  Some  anglers  prefer  roving  for  Poaroh  in  the  following 
manner : 

"  Use  a  reel  on  your  rod,  and  have  bottom-tackle  of  three  yards  of 
gut,  with  a  hook  No.  8  or  9,  with  one  or  two  shot-corns  to  sink  the 
bait,  which  should  bo  one  or  two  well-scoured  rod  worms,  and  you 
must  then  cast  your  line  across  tho  stream,  letting  it  sink,  and  drawing 
it  towards  you  alternately,  till  you  feel  a  bite,  then  allow  a  few  seconds 
before  you  strike.  You  may  also  drop  this  bait  into  still,  deep  holes, 
as  in  Trout-fishing ;  indeed,  a  practical  angler — especially  an  old 
Trout-fisher — will  prefer  this  mode  of  worm-fishing  to  the  use  of  the 
float." 

After  these  apposite  instructions  there  is  little  more  to  bo  said ;  but 
I  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  a  few  lines  in  relation  to  the  habits  of 
the  Yellow  Pearch  in  tho  West,  from  tho  pen  of  an  admirable  writer, 
#  #  ♦  #  #  ^  ^Ijq  has  contributed  very  largely  to  our  stock  of  in- 
formation concerning  the  fishes  of  the  great  lakes  and  Western  rivers 
of  New  York,  by  his  admirable  articles  formerly  published  in  the 
Buifalo  Commercial  Advertiser.  I  shall  have  occasion  to  quote  from 
him  again,  in  relation  to  the  Black  Bass,  the  Oswego  Bass,  and  tho 
Lake  Sheep's-Head,  concerning  which  ho  has  furnished  us  with  tho 
best  information  that  we  possess : 

"  In  tho  spring,  as  soon  as  the  ice  has  left  the  streams,  the  Pearch 
begins  running  up  our  creeks  to  spawn.      He  is  then  caught  in  them 


I'KARCH     KISillNO. 


293 


la  great  plenty.  Ahout  tho  niiddlo  of  May,  however,  \i'  seems  to 
prefer  tho  Niiipiru'H  clt'iir  current,  and  almost  entirely  deserts  tho 
Tonawanda,  and  other  amber  waters.  You  tiion  find  liim  in  the  eddies, 
on  tho  edge  of  s\\  it  ripples,  and  oftim  in  tho  swift  waters,  watching 
for  the  minnow.  As  the  water-weeds  increase  in  height,  he  ensconces 
himself  among  them,  and,  in  mid-summer,  comes  out  to  seek  his  prey 
only  in  tho  morning  and  towards  night.  Ho  seems  to  delight  espo- 
oially  in  a  grassy  bottom ;  and  when  tho  black  frost  has  cut  down  tho 
tall  water-weeds,  and  the  more  delicate  herbage  that  never  attains  tho 
surface  is  withered,  he  disappears  until  spring,  probably  secluding 
himself  in  the  depths  of  the  river. 

"  The  back  fin  of  tho  Pearch  is  largo,  and  armed  with  strong  spines, 
Ho  is  bold  and  ravenous.  Ho  will  not  give  way  to  tho  Piko  or  to  tho 
Black  Bass ;  and  though  he  may  sometimes  be  eaten  by  them,  his  com- 
rades will  retaliate  upon  the  young  of  his  destroyers. 

"  Tho  proper  bait  for  tho  Pearch  is  the  Minnow.  Ho  will  take  that 
all  seasons.  In  mid-summer,  however,  he  prefers  the  worm,  at  whicix 
ho  generally  bites  freely.  He  is  often  taken  with  the  grub,  or  with 
small  pieces  of  fish  of  any  kind." 

I  may  here  observe  that  tho  Pearch,  like  his  congeners,  the  various 
tribes  of  Bass,  will  occasionally  take  the  fly,  though  not  so  boVlly  or 
freely  as  to  justify  its  use  largely. 


■r  ( ;\ 


294 


AMERICAN    FISllKS. 


CARP  FISHING. 


This,  I  confess,  I  regard  as  very  miderablo  sport,  for  though  the 
fish  is  shy  and  wary,  the  difficulty  in  taking  him  arises  only  from  his 
timidity  and  unwillingness  to  bite,  and  he  is  as  lazy  when  hooked  as  he 
is  slow  to  bite. 

His  proper  haunts  are  deep,  stagnant,  slow-flowing  streams,  or  ponds 
with  muddy  bottoms  ;  and  he  lies  under  weeds,  and  among  the  stems 
and  flat  leaves  of  water-lilies,  flags,  and  marsh-grasses. 

Not  indigenous  to  this  country,  he  has  been  naturalized  in  the 
waters  of  the  Hudson,  where  he  is,  for  the  present,  protected  by 
severe  legislative  enactments. 

He  will  doubtless,  ere  long,  become  very  plentiful ;  and  as  he  is  a 
rich  fish  when  cooked  secundum  arlein^  and  by  many  esteemed  a  great 
delicacy,  he  is  likely  enough  to  become  a  favorite  with  the  angler. 

Hofland  thus  describes  the  method  of  baiting  the  ground  and  fishing 
for  Carp  in  England,  and  his  directions  are  the  best  I  have  seen ;  they 
may  by  followed  with  implicit  confidence  : 

"  In  rivers,  the  Carp  prefer  those  parts  where  the  current  is  not  too 
strong,  and  where  the  bottom  is  marly,  or  muddy  ;  and  in  lakes  or 
ponds  are  to  be  found  near  beds  of  water-lilies,  and  other  aquatic 
plants.  Old  Carp  are  very  crafty  and  wary,  and  will  not  easily  be 
taken  by  the  angler  ;  but  young  ones,  when  a  pond  is  well  stocked, 
may  be  easily  taken  in  great  quantities. 

"  Notwithstanding  these  instances  of  familiarity,  it  is  by  no  means 
easy  to  make  a  large  Carp  familiar  with  your  bait :  to  do  this,  the 
greatest  nicety  and  caution  must  be  observed  ;  but  if  the  young  angler, 
who  has  been  ufton  foiled  in  his  attempts,  will  patiently  and  implicitly 
follow  my  instructions,  he  will  become  a  match  for  this  cunning  fish. 

"  Use  a  strong  rod  with  running-tackle,  and  liave  a  bottom  of 
three  yards  of  fineish  gut,  and  a  hook  No.  9  or  10  ;  use  a  very  light 


CARP    FISHING. 


295 


quill-float,  that  will  carry  two  small  shot,  and  bait  with  a  W3ll-scoured 
red  worm. 

"  Now  plumb  the  depth  with  the  greatest  nicety,  and  let  your  bait 
just  touch,  or  all  but  touch,  the  bottom ;  but  you  are  not  yet  pre- 
pared ;  for  a  forked  stick  must  be  fixed  into  the  bank,  on  which  you 
must  let  your  rod  rest,  so  that  the  float  will  fall  over  the  exact  spot 
you  have  plumbed.  Now  throw  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  ground- 
bait,  of  bread  and  brand  worked  into  a  paste,  and  made  into  little 
balls ;  or,  in  want  of  these,  throw  in  the  garbage  of  chickens  or  ducks ; 
and  all  this  is  to  be  done  on  the  evening  of  the  day  before  you  intend 
to  fish. 

"  The  next  morning,  if  in  summer,  bo  at  the  pond-side  where  you 
have  baited  and  plumbed  your  depth,  by  four  o'clock  at  least,  and, 
taking  your  rod  and  line,  which  is  already  fixed  to  the  exact  depth, 
bait  with  a  small,  bright,  red  worm  ;  then  approach  the  water  cau- 
tiously, keeping  out  of  sight  as  much  as  possible,  and  drop  your  bait 
exactly  over  the  spot  you  plumbed  over  night ;  then  rest  part  of  your 
rod  on  the  forked  stick,  and  the  bottom  of  it  on  the  ground. 

"  You  must  now  retire  a  few  paces,  keeping  entirely  out  of  sight, 
but  still  near  enough  to  observe  your  float ;  when  you  perceive  a  bite, 
give  a  little  time  ;  indeed,  it  is  better  to  wait  till  you  see  the  float 
begin  to  move  off,  before  you  strike,  which  you  may  then  do  smartly ; 
and,  as  the  Carp  is  a  leather-mouthed  fish,  if  you  manage  him  well, 
there  is  no  fear  of  losing  him,  unless  the  pond  is  very  weedy.  Bo 
careful  to  have  your  line  free,  that,  if  a  largo  fish,  he  may  run  out 
some  of  your  line  before  you  attempt  to  turn  him  ;  as  he  is  a  very 
strong  fish,  and  your  tackle  rather  light,  you  must  give  him  careful 
play  before  you  land  him. 

"  The  extreme  shyness  of  the  large  Carp  make  all  this  somewhat 
tedious  process  necessary  to  ensure  success ;  but  I  can  safely  assert, 
that  I  scarcely  ever  took  this  trouble  in  vain.  Various  baits  are 
recommended  for  Carp — such  as  green  peas,  parboiled,  pastes  of  all 
descriptions,  gentles,  caterpillars,  &c. ;  but  I  have  found  the  red  worm 
the  best,  and  noxt  to  this,  the  gentle,  and  plain  bread-paste.  Those 
who  prefer  a  sweet  paste  may  dip  the  bread  in  honey.  Paste  and 
pontle  will  answer  better  in  autumn  than  spring.  April  and  May  are, 
in  my  opinion,  the  best  months  for  Carp  fishing ;  and  very  early  in 


If 


r'^.i 


•     '^V  I'M 


4    f- 


i:  *,■ 


m' 


29ri 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


the  morning,  or  lati;  in  the  evening,  is  the  best  time  for  pursuing  your 
sport." 

The  above  mode  of  baiting  bottom  grounds,  and  of  fishing  with  the 
worm,  in  all  its  particulars,  may  bo  pursued  with  perfect  success  in 
all  ponds  and  slow-running  streams,  for  all  the  many  species  of  tho 
Carp  family,  which  are,  for  the  most  part,  the  least  carnivoious  of 
fishes,  and  consequently  the  most  difficult  to  allure,  as  the  Bream, 
Roach,  Dace,  Chub,  and  Shiner,  as  they  are  provincially  termed, 
though  by  no  means  identical  with  the  European  fishes  of  the  same 
names.  The  Suckers,  Catastomi,  a  sub-genus  of  the  same  family, 
will  hardly  take  any  bait  whatsoever. 

While  fishing,  as  above  doscribed,  both  small  river  Pearch  and  Eels 
of  all  sizes  are  likely  to  be  hooked,  as  the  baited  bottom-ground  allures 
all  those  species  which  seek  their  feed  at  the  bottom  to  its  vicinity. 


STRIPKD     BASS    riSIUNO. 


297 


STRIPED   BASS    FISHING. 


•'f'"  • 


With  the  sole  exception  of  Salmon  fishing,  this  is  the  finest  of  the 
seaboard  varieties  of  piscatorial  sport.  The  Striped  Bass  is  the  bold- 
est, bravest,  strongest,  and  most  active  fish  that  visits  the  waters  of 
the  midland  States,  and  is,  as  I  have  before  observed,  to  be  surpassed 
only  by  the  Salmon. 

Everywhere,  from  the  capes  of  the  Chesapeake  to  the  St.  Lawrence, 
they  run  up  the  rivers  to  spawn  in  the  early  spring,  and  shelter  them- 
selves in  the  shallow  lagoons  within  the  outer  bars  during  the  winter. 

Everywhere  they  are  fished  for  eagerly,  and  esteemed  alike  a  prize 
by  the  angler  and  the  epicure. 

In  every  manner  they  are  fished  for  with  success,  and  with  almost 
every  bait. 

The  fly  will  take  them  brilliantly,  and  at  the  end  of  three  hundred 
yards  of  Salmon-line  a  twelve  pound  Bass  will  be  found  quite  sufficient 
to  keep  even  the  most  skilful  angler's  hands  as  full  as  he  can  possibly 
desire. 

The  fly  to  be  used  is  any  of  the  large  Salmon-flies,  the  larger  and 
gaudier  the  better.  None  is  more  taking  than  an  orange  body  with 
peacock  and  blue-jay  wings  and  black  hackle  legs ;  but  any  of  the 
well-known  Salmon  flies  will  secure  him,  as  will  the  scarlet-bodied  fly 
with  scarlet-ibis  and  silver-pheasant  wings  which  is  so  killing  to  the 
Black  Bass  of  the  lakes. 

With  the  fly,  he  is  to  be  flshed  for  with  the  double-handed  rod,  pre- 
cisely as  the  Salmon ;  and  when  hooked,  though  he  has  not  all  the 
artifice  and  resource  of  that  monarch  of  the  deep,  he  is  hardly  inferior 
to  him  in  agility,  strength,  and  vigor  of  resistance. 

It  is  singular  that  more  recourse  is  not  had  to  this  mode  of  taking 
him,  as  in  waters  where  the  Salmon  is  not,  there  is  no  sport  equal  to  it. 

Tho^e  who  try  this  method  will  not,  I  dare  to   aSBert,  regret  tht 


tat  A  ■■,;.■  ■  ¥'' 


■'Mm 


l. 


298 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


trial ;  they  must,  however,  fish  from  a  boat,  us  the  width  of  tho 
streams  which  Bass  frequ3nt  do  not  permit  them  to  be  commanded 
from  the  shores,  even  with  the  double-handed  rod. 

Again,  the  Striped  Bass  may  be  caught  either  with  the  gorge-hook 
and  the  trolling  tackle  described  under  the  head  of  Pike-fishing,  or 
with  the  spinning-fish  and  swivel-traces  recommended  for  taking  the 
Salmon.  Almost  any  small  fish  will  answer  for  the  bait,  but  the  New 
York  Shiner,  the  real  Smelt,  or  the  Atherine — alias  Sand  Smelt  or 
Spearling — especially  the  latter,  will  the  most  readily  allure  him. 
This  method  of  fishing,  second  only  to  the  use  of  the  fly,  is  the  most 
exciting,  as  it  requires  finer  tackle,  and  consequently  calls  forth  far 
more  skill,  than  the  ordinary  modes  of  fishing  for  him  at  the  bottom. 

For  boat  fishing,  a  strong  ash  or  hickory,  and  lance-wood,  rod,  with 
patent  guides  and  the  new  agate  funnel-top,  which  can  be  procured  at 
Conroy's,  and  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  improvements  of  the  day, 
with  a  Salmon-reel  and  two  hundred  yards  of  silk  or  grass  line,  will  be 
found  the  best ;  of  course,  for  Salmon-fishing,  the  hair  and  silk  line 
takes  the  precedence  of  all  others.  A  rod  of  twelve  or  fourteen  feet 
will  suffice  from  a  boat,  but  for  bank  or  bridge  fishing  one  of  about 
eighteen  feat  is  preferred  by  the  best  fishers. 

Comparatively  few  persons  troll  for  Bass  as  described  above  ;  for, 
in  fact,  the  great  majority,  even  of  our  good  fishermen,  are  in  some 
sort  pot-anglers,  and  prefer  taking  monstrous  giants  of  the  water  with 
coarse  tackle,  to  th'  far  greater  excitement  of  skilfully  and  delicately 
conquering  a  modeiate-sized  fish  with  the  finest  tackle.  The  Striped 
Bass,  it  is  said,  is  known  to  attain  the  weight  of  a  hundred  pounds  ; 
but  such  giants  are  rare,  though  up  to  forty  or  fifty  pounds  they  are 
no  rarities.  The  largest  fish  are  taken  in  deep,  rapid  tide-ways,  such 
as  Hellgate  or  the  Haerlem  river,  by  trolling  from  the  stern  of  a  row- 
boat  with  a  strong  hand-line  and  a  large  hook  baited  with  that  hideous 
piscine  reptile,  or  insect  rather,  the  real  squid,  or  with  the  artificial 
equid  of  tin  or  pewter.  A  good  deal  of  skill  is  required  for  this  mode 
of  fishing,  but  yet  more  strength  than  skill,  and  it  is  a  very  wearisome 
pursuit. 

Still  more  fatiguing  is  the  exercise  of  squidding  for  them  with  the 
artificial  bait  in  the  ocean  surfs  of  the  outer  beaches,  in  which  the  toil 
of  throwing  out  and  dragging  in  the  squid  becomes  a  real  labor. 


or 


STRIPED    BASS    FISHINO. 


299 


Neither  of  these  methods,  any  more  than  taking  them  on  set-lines 
baited  with  Spearling  or  Tom-Cod,  as  is  very  successfully  practised  in 
the  Hudson,  do  I  regard  as  legitimate  or  honest  fishing ;  and  they  are 
resorted  to  rather  by  the  professional  fisherman  than  by  the  amateur 
for  sport. 

Noi  can  I  say  that  I  look  with  much  sympathy  on  those  who  fish 
for  them  as  is  the  usual  practice  at  Macomb's  dam,  King's  bridge,  or 
Belleville  bridge  on  the  Passaic,  and  similar  places,  with  floats 
and  sinkers  and  the  bottom  baits  ;  though  I  confess  that  the  size  and 
vigor  of  the  fish  when  hooked,  render  this  the  finest  of  all  the  kinds 
of  bait-fishing. 

The  rule  is,  to  fish  as  near  the  bottom  as  possible,  with  a  sinker 
light  enough  to  move  with  the  tide.  The  hook  should  be  large,  and 
I  believe  the  Kirby  form  is  generally  preferred  to  the  Limerick.  Some 
anglers  recommend  the  use  of  double,  others  of  single  gut ;  and  some 
fish  with,  others  without  the  float ;  both  plans  have  their  own  advan- 
tages, and  probably  there  is  little  difi"erence  in  reality  between  the 
two. 

In  rivers  fi*equentod  by  Shad,  the  Shad-roe,  either  fresh,  or  preserv- 
ed and  pott  i,  as  described  abov3  in  reference  to  Salmon,  is  the  most 
killing  bait  that  can  be  used  in  the  Spring-time,  and  is  especially  the 
favorite  bait  of  the  Passaic  anglers  at  the  Belleville  bridge  and  the 
reefs  near  Acquackanonck  1  have  no  doubt  of  its  success  in  the 
upper  Delaware  so  high  as  Milford,  where  the  Bass,  there  called 
Rock-Fish,  is  taken  of  rare  excellence.  In  tide-ways  it  is  obviously 
useless,  since  the  Shad  never  spawn  in  such  places,  and  as  animals  in 
a  state  of  nature  feed  naturally,  the  Bass  never  looks  for,  nor  will 
take,  such  a  bait,  except  in  spots  where  it  abounds  naturally. 

The  Bass  may  be  fished  for  with  success  from  early  in  April,  some- 
times even  in  March,  until  late  in  October  and  September.  On  his 
first  appearance,  and  up  to  the  latter  part  of  June,  the  shrimp  is  the 
best  bait ;  and  it  should  be  ased  with  a  float,  suspended  at  ten  or  eleven 
inches  distant  from  the  bottom.  From  June,  throughout  the  summer 
the  shedder  crab  attracts  the  Striped  Bass  rather  than  any  other  bait 
A  sliding  sinkor  should  be  used  in  this  instance,  which  rests  on  the 
ground,  and  allows  the  crab  to  move  on  the  bottom.  No  float  is  re- 
quired for  this  method. 


^f 


-'If 


QM 


.    .   .:  i\:''y    I..) 


m 


800 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


So  soon  as  the  season  is  so  far  advanced  that  the  shedder  has  re- 
oovered  his  scaly  panoply,  which  sets  his  enemies'  assaults  at  defiance, 
the  shrimp  again  comes  into  play,  and,  with  the  various  kinds  of  small 
aalt-water  fishes,  constitutes  the  best  river  baits. 

For  boat  fishing  in  the  bay,  with  sinkers — as  for  the  Weak-Fish, 
King  Fish,  and  others,  among  which  the  Striped  Bass  is  taken,  the 
soft  clam  is  the  favorite  appliance  ;  and  for  this  kind  of  sport  full  and 
neapt  tides,  and  a  wind  off  shore,  are  the  best  periods. 

In  killing  the  Bass,  after  he  is  hooked,  great  skill,  great  persever- 
ance, and  incessant  vigilance  are  necessary.  It  is  a  sine  qua  non  to 
keep  him  up,  frustrating  his  efforts  to  rush  to  the  bottom,  and  to  hold 
him  ever  in  hand,  with  a  taut  line,  ceding  nothing  to  his  wildest 
efforts,  except  on  absolute  compulsion. 

Excellent  tackle  is  requisite,  and  to  preserve  it  excellent,  constant 
attention  to  it  must  be  had,  or  all  will  be  in  vain.  Nothing  is  more 
provoking  than  to  lose  a  fine  fish,  well  played,  and  perhaps  all  but 
killed,  owing  to  some  slight  imperfection  in  the  gut  bottom  or  the 
arming  of  the  hooks,  which  care,  before  coming  to  the  water's  edge, 
would  have  easily  and  surely  prevented. 

Whether  the  Striped  Bass  has  ever  been  killed  by  the  fatal  spoon, 
I  know  not ;  but  I  cannot  doubt  that  it  would  be  found  nearly  as  effec- 
tive as  with  its  congener,  the  splendid  Black  Bass  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
to  which  I  shall  now  proceed. 


m^im 


BLACK    BASS    FISHING 


301 


BLACK  BASS  FISHING 


IN    THE     ST.   LAWRENCE. 


From  the  Files  of  the  Buffalo  Commercial  1  borrow  the  following 
description  of  the  habits,  haunts,  and  modes  of  taking  the  Black  and 
Oswego  Bass — if  different  they  be,  as  I  believe  they  are  in  the  Niagara 
river.  It  is  by  the  same  distinguished  sportsman  and  sound  naturalist 
to  whom  I  have  before  alluded  in  ray  article  on  the  Pearch. 

I  prefer  quoting  him  to  writing  of  this  fish  myself;  as  although  not 
unacquainted  with  his  habits,  I  have  never  yet  myself  enjoyed  the 
pleasure  of  catching  him  either  with  the  fly,  the  spoon,  or  the 
shiner  : 

"  The  Oswego  Bass  and  Black  Bass  bear  so  strong  a  resemblance  to 
each  other,  that  not  one  fisherman  in  ten  knows  them  as  distinct  en- 
tities. In  form,  color,  weight,  and  habits,  the  two  are  almost  per- 
fectly identical ;  and  yet  their  differences,  though  minute,  are  striking 
and  essential.  An  Oswego  Bass,  when  placed  by  a  Black  Bass  of  the 
same  size,  is  readily  distinguished  by  his  more  forked  tail,  his  greater 
thickness  of  shoulder,  his  coarser  scales,  and,  above  all,  by  his  mouth, 
which,  when  open,  is  nearly  twice  as  large  as  that  of  the  Black  Bass. 
In  Lake  Ontario,  the  Oswego  Bass  is  abundant,  and  the  Black  Bass 
comparatively  rare.  In  Lake  Erie,  the  Black  Bass  greatly  predomi- 
nates, and  it  may  be  doubted  whether  the  Oswegonian — like  certain 
citizens  of  t^ie  Ontario  shore — is  not  an  interloper  in  our  waters,  who 
has  found  his  way  to  us  from  below,  through  some  canal.  However 
this  may  be,  he  is  certainly  right  welcome  ! 

"  The  Black  Bass  is  our  chief  object  of  pursuit — ^his  capture  is  our 
dearest  triumph — his  captive  form  our  proudest  trophy.  When  word 
first  comes,  in  June,  that  the  Black  Bass  bites  in^our  river,  what  a 
stir  there  is  among  our  anglers  ! — what  questioning  as  to  the  when, 


802 


AMERICAN*    FISHE& 


and  the  where,  and  by  whom,  and  with  what  bait,  and  the  number, 
and  size  ! — what  an  anxious  inn[uiry  after  big  minnows  ! — what  a  rak- 
ing and  scraping  of  pond-holos  for  soft  lobsters  ! — what  a  watching  of 
the  skies  ! — and,  if  there  be  no  wind,  or  a  zephyr  from  the  south  or 
west,  what  bright  and  hopeful  ftices ! — but  if  the  storm  rage,  or  an 
easterly  wind,  however  gentle,  fan  our  sleeping  bay,  what  rueful  coun- 
tenances ! — what  half-suppressed  repining  ! — what  a  woful,  spiritless 
attempting  to  be  busy  about  our  ordinary  avocations  !  And  why  this 
commotion  ?  Because  this  is  the  very  prince  of  our  game-fishes.  His 
capture  is  a  less  easy  task,  and  involves,  or  is  supposed  to  involve, 
more  science,  and  to  be  a  truer  proof  of  merit  as  an  angler,  than  any 
other  tenant  of  our  crystal  waters.  But — let  me  whisper  it  in  thy  ear, 
my  friend  ! — there  is  much  of  fancy  in  all  this.  He  is  a  noble  fish, 
and  struggles  vigorously  and  most  pertinaciously  for  liberty  ;  but  no 
art  nor  skill,  unattainable  by  thee,  or  any  one,  is  requisite  to  hook  or 
draw  him  from  his  element. 

"  This  fish  beds  in  our  streams  and  rivers,  and  probably,  too,  on 
the  bars  and  shoals  of  our  bay.  Numbers  run  up  the  larger  streams 
in  May,  and  bite  freely  at  the  worm,  in  the  middle  and  latter  part  of 
that  month,  in  the  Ton^'wanda.  His  appearance  is  too  familiar  to 
need  description.  His  color  varies,  though  it  generally  approaches 
black.  I  think  only  the  smaller  Bass  run  up  the  creeks.  Those  taken 
in  Tonawanda  seldom  overweigh  two  or  two  and  a  half  pounds,  and 
have  a  greenish  hue.  In  the  river  they  attain  a  weight  of  four  and  four 
and  a  half,  and  even  five  pounds  ;  and  occasionally  heavier  ones  have 
been  taken,  weighing  even  eight  pounds.  The  river  fish,  whan  fresh 
from  the  water,  is  frequ3ntly  bandid,  like  the  Pearch,  with  broad 
bars  of  a  darker  hue,  which  disappear,  however,  and  fade  into  the 
general  color  of  the  fish  as  he  becomes  diy.  He  seldom  takes  the 
hook,  in  the  Niagara,  until  June.  He  is  always  fine  eating,  but  is 
fattest  and  best  in  autumn." 

"  He  is  angled  for,"  says  Mr.  Brown,  "  in  the  usual  way,  and  with 
the  same  arrangement  of  tackle  as  the  Striped  Bass  or  Salmon ;  and 
with  some  enthusiastic  western  sportsmen,  is  thought  to  give  more 
amusement  than  either.  But  the  most  active  and  exciting  mode  of 
pursuit  is  with  the  trolling  rod  and  boat.  We  are  indebted  to  a  friend 
who  has  frequented  Lake  George,  for  the  following  interesting  com- 
uiunication : 


m 


BLACK    UA8S    FISHINR. 


303 


"  '  This  is  a  game  fiih,  affording  the  angler  the  very  highest  enjoy 
ment.     Th2S3  fish  are  taken  in  various  ways.      When  collected  on 
their  fj3ding  grounds,    in    August  and  the  succeeding   fall  months, 
th3y  are  soinjtiiujs  takan  in  considerable  numbers.     The  usual  mode 
of  angling  for  them  at  this  time,  is  either  with  or  without  a  float, 
and  with  liv.5  bait — a  small  fish  taken  for  the  purpose,  along  the  lake 
shores   or    in  brooks.       They  are   exceedingly  strong  and  active — 
qualities   which  dilight  the  angler.      When  first  hooked,  they  run 
v  M-y  wild,  and  almost  invariably  rise  to  the  surface,  and  leap   one, 
two,  and  even  three  feet  in  the  air,  shaking  the  head  violently,  evi- 
dently with  a  view  to  dislodge  the  fatal  hook.      Frequently,  while 
making  their  runs,  they  will  suddenly  turn  and  come  with  all  their 
power  directly  towards  their  enemy,  and  by  thus  slacking  the  lino, 
will  succeed  in  shaking  the  hook  loose  :  this  often  happens  with  in- 
experienced fishermen,  but  more  rarely  with  the  angler  who  holds  a 
good  reel  and  winds  rapidly.     The  most  beautiful  mode  of  angling 
for  them  known,  is  trolling,  either  with  live  bait  or  an  artificial  fly 
of  large  size  and  gay  appearance.      The   writer  has  succeeded  re- 
markably well  with  a  fly  made  on  a  large-sized  Limerick  hook,  such 
as  are  used  for  Striped  Bass  when  fishing  with  crab  bait.     The  fly 
is    made    as   follows : — Body  of  a  peacock  feather,  wings  of  bright 
scarlet  kerseymere  and  white  pigeon  feathers  ;  or,  the  feather  strip- 
ped from  a  white  goose-quill,  and  wound  round  like  the  hackle,  and 
surmounted  with  thin  strips  of  scarlet  forwings.     For  trolling  plea- 
santly and  comfortably,  the  angler  should  provide  a  moveable  seat, 
which  he  can  place  across  the  gunwale  of  his  boat,  in  order  that  he 
may  sit  with  his  back  to  the  oarsman,  and  facing  the  stern.     Thus 
ho  will  have  full  command  of  his  rod  and  line,  and  not  be  sitting 
in  the  cramping  attitude  which  the  lowness  of  the  seats  would  cause. 
Ho  should  reel  oflF  fifty  to  sixty,  or  even  one  hundred  or  more  feet 
of  line,  and  in  going  over  shallow  reefs  of  seven  or  eight  feet  depth, 
two  hundred  feet,  as  the  fish  feeding  on  the  reefs  usually  dart  aside  as 
the  boat  passes,  and  do  not  return  immediately  to  their  harboring  spot, 
which  is  one  reason  why  those  who  do  not  use  the  reel  are  not  as  suc- 
cessful as  those  who  employ  it.     After  a  few  moments  they  glide  back 
to  their  favorite  spot,  and  as  the  fly  comes  along,  dart  at  and  seize  it. 
A  strong  tug  is  felt  by  the  angler,  who  has  only  to  draw  gently,  and 


'*  •':  r  lit 


■■•    ^W 


^.i'l 


304 


AMKRICAN    FI8HKS. 


H  m 


his  prey  is  fastonod.  Tho  oarsiuan  rests  on  his  oars,  to  pivt!  tbo 
angler  full  command  of  his  line.  The  noble  fish,  aftm-  one  or  fvo 
runs  to  right  and  left,  suddenly  rises  and  makes  his  splendid  leap,  and 
plunging,  again  seeks  the  bottom,  again  rises,  and  then  tries  his  last 
experiment  of  dashing  right  towards  the  boat.  Ho  struggles  long  and 
vigorously,  but  his  strength  is  at  last  exhausted,  and  you  trail  your  un- 
resisting captive  to  the  landing  net.  I  have  taken  them  of  various 
weights,  the  largest  weighing  five  pounds  nine  ounces :  this  was  done 
last  summer,  1844,  in  Lake  George.  I  believe  they  are  sometimes 
taken  much  higher  in  tho  St.  Lawrence  river,  and  upper  lakes ;  but 
my  acquaintance  with  them  is  limited  to  the  beautiful  lake  just  ment- 
ioned. 

'  At  SherriU's  capital  hotel  at  Caldwell,  every  facility  for  enjoying 
this  delightful  sport  can  be  had,  though  the  best  fishing  grounds  are 
down  the  lake. 

*  An  excellent  house  is  kept  by  Mr.  Garfield,  twenty-two  miles 
down  the  lake,  where  the  best  fishing  stations  for  the  Salmon  Trout 
are  situated.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  fine  ground  for  the  Bass  in  the 
neighborhood. 

'  About  ten  miles  from  Caldwell,  there  is  a  place  called  the  Narrows, 
where  there  are  numerous  small  islands,  with  shelving  rocky  shores, 
and  fine  troUiiiij;  ground. 

'  Anglers  will  find  good  plain  accommodation  at  a  house  kept  by 
Mr.  Lyman,  who  is  very  kind  and  attentive  to  his  guests,  and  furnishes 
baits,  guides,  &o, 

'  In  trolling  for  the  Black  Bass  in  Lake  George,  you  will  fre- 
quently strike  those  of  one-half  to  three-fourths  pound  weight,  even 
with  the  very  large  fly  which  I  have  described.  There  is  so  great  a 
difference,  both  in  shape  and  color,  between  the  fish  of  this  size  and 
those  of  two  or  more  pounds  weight,  that  a  stranger  would  never  take 
them  to  be  of  the  same  species.  These  small  fish  are  very  similar  in 
shape  to  the  Blue-Fish  of  the  salt-water,  while  those  of  the  larger  size 
spread  in  width  as  they  increase  in  size,  so  that  a  fi.sh  of  two  and  a 
halt  to  three  pounds,  is  of  a  shape  between  a  Black-Fish,  or  Tautog, 
and  the  famous  Shcep's-Head.  In  color  they  differ  also  greatly  ;  the 
small  Bass  being  of  a  light  dull  greenish  color,  ivhile  the  larger  grow 
darker  as  they  increase  in  size,  the  largest  being  nearly  black  on  tho 


BI.ACK    BASS    FrsiIINO. 


305 


back,  and  of  a  very  dark  brownish  green  on  the  sides.  The  younger 
gentry,  above  described,  are  not  to  be  despised  on  account  of  their 
size,  for  when  taken  vjth  a  light  Trout-rod,  they  will  be  found  to  bo 
a  fine  vigorous  fish  ;  and  when  in  their  temerity  they  seize  the  largo 
fly,  on  feeling  the  hook,  they  will,  true  to  their  nature,  make  the  leap, 
in  imitation  of  their  aires,  thus  showing  themselves  to  be  game  fish. 
I  have  known  thtiu  to  leap  three  times  while  reeling  in  the  long  trol- 
ling line,  whereas  toe  larger  gentry  rarely  leap  more  than  once.'  " 

In  addition  to  this  I  will  only  add — for  all  that  is  said  here  is  correct 
and  clear — that  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  among  the  Thousand  Islands,  this 
admirable  fish  is  taken  in  unequalled  numbers,  and  of  unrivalled 
excellence.  That  in  the  Black  river  they  are  likewise  very  abundant, 
and  rise  in  it  very  freely  to  any  gaudy  fly.  A  friend  of  my  own  has 
killed  many  of  this  fine  Bass  with  a  largo  red  hackle,  with  a  gold  tinsel 
body,  and  also  with  a  green-tailed  grannam.  The  best  fly,  however,  is 
decidedly  one  manufactured  by  Conroy,  after  the  colors  of  that  de- 
scribed in  the  above  quotation,  with  a  scarlet  chcnil  body,  under  wings 
of  the  red  i'  is,  and  upper  wings  of  silver  pheasant ;  this  will  be  found 
unfailing. 

A  singular  fact,  which  obviously,  though  oddly  enough,  escaped  the 
observation  of  ray  friend  at  Buffalo,  is  that  at  the  first  appearance  of  the 
Black  Bass  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara,  say  in  the  latter  part  of  May, 
the  fish  all  lie  around  a  reef  on  the  Fort  Niagara — or  American — 
side  of  the  river,  not  one  being  ever,  at  that  period,  taken  on  the 
Canadian  reef  opposite.  After  about  six  weeks'  residence,  however, 
they  change  sides,  and  cross  over,  deserting  the  American  shore  alto- 
gether, and  being  taken  only  on  the  Canadian  side. 

The  New  York  Shiner  is  there  esteemed  the  best  bait,  and  with  it, 
in  last  May,  an  oflScer  and  three  men  in  H.  M.  service,  caught  in  a 
few  hours  enough  of  these  fish  to  load  two  strong  men  to  their  heart's 
content. 

The  small  Rock  Bass  of  the  lakes  is  taken  off  the  wharfs  and  docks 
on  all  the  same  waters,  from  Kingston  to  Lake  Superior,  with  the 
Minnow  or  small  Shiner,  though  rarely  with  the  fly.  It  is  a  good 
fish,  but  rarely  exceeds  a  pound  in  weight. 

From  the  first  writer  I  here  quote  a  few  lines  concerning  the  Lake 
Sheep's-Head,  Corvina  Oscida,  to  which  I  have  alluded  before,  but 


t'«?^»^ 


'.      s  '  ''  " 


'?»■; 


"M 


-i'}^ 


■  -n. 


m-^ 


30fi 


AMERICAN  riBHES. 


which  must  not  bo  confoundid  with  the  MiihiKhi'ganay —  or  Hhick 
^hco^^s-llcady  Co rvina  Iiic/iar(hanii,  a  congpncrous  fish,  taken  nearly 
iu  the  same  waters,  and  with  the  same  bait — any,  to  wit,  of  tho  fresh- 
water Molluscas,  and,  above  all,  with  the  Cray-Kiah — which  is  as  ex- 
cellent as  this  other  is  abominable  on  the  table  : 

"  This  is  a  villain  in  general  estimation — tho  pest  of  the  fisher  for 
Bass — a  fish  that  puttoth  the  cook,  who  would  render  him  acceptable 
at  table,  in  a  quandary — froni  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  I  cannot  re- 
lieve her,  though  she  be  at  her  wit's  end. 

"  He  is  generally  brown,  gray  or  reddish  above,  and  of  a  dead,  im- 
pure white  below.  His  head  is  large,  and  his  body  is  flattened  latterly, 
though  the  frying-pan  rejecteth  him.  His  ordinary  weight  is  two  or 
three  pounds,  though  he  sometimes  weighs  five,  and  even  six.  His 
food,  his  haunts,  his  habits,  arc  similar  to  those  of  the  Black  Bass, 
whom  ho  cv'^i'  accompanieth,  as  though  he  were  intended  by  nature  as 
a  foil  to  set  otf  the  merits  of  that  jewel  of  the  flood.  He  is  despised, 
yea,  detested,  by  the  choleric  angler,  who  pulls  him  out,  and  then 
dasheth  him  upon  tho  stones. 

"  The  Sheep's-Head  of  the  aea  is  a  lusty,  crafty  fish,  bepraiscd  alike 
by  the  fisherman  and  the  epicure.  At  the  turn  of  the  tide,  he  takes 
the  whole  soft  clam  on  your  hook  at  a  mouthful,  and  chews  it,  shell 
and  all,  and  pulls  like  a  Salmon  as  you  draw  him  in  ;  and  his  radiant, 
deep  and  broad-barred  sides — as  he  flaps  about  on  the  sand  of  that 
low  islet  in  the  great  south  bay  of  Long  Island,  to  which  you  have  just 
hauled  him — how  brilliantly  they  show,  and  make  you  think  of  the 
dying  Dolphin,  and  of  old  Arion  !  And  when  he  repo.sps  at  the  head 
of  the  table — fit  place  for  him — beautiful,  though  boiled,  how  heartfelt 
is  the  homage  be  receives  from  all  around  !  Truly,  it  is  libel  on  him, 
to  call  by  the  same  name  this  Paria  of  the  lakes. 

"  And  yet  our  fish  is  vigorous,  and  not  altogether  destitute  of  beauty, 
to  the  eye  at  least  of  those  who  know  him  not.  Is  it  not  chronicled, 
that  at  Black-Rock,  a  strange  angler  once  bartered  away  two  noble 
Bass  for  two  large  Sheep's-Heads,  which,  for  the  nonce,  were  called 
White  Bass  .'  '  The  freckled  toad,  ugly  and  venomous,  wears  yet  a 
precious  jewel  in  his  head' — and  our  fish,  in  his  clum.sy  cranium, 
wears  two  small  loose  bones,  serrate,  and  white  and  polished,  which 
must  have  some  use  to  him,  some  wondrous  adaptation  to  his  mode  of 


SK 


i 


MLACK    BASS    FISHINO. 


307 


Ufo,  which,  whtn  unfolded,  will   prove  that  ho  is  uot  uurogurdiid  l.y 
Him  who  made  the  grout  whales  and  the  flHhes  of  the  sea. 

"  His  mouth  is  paved  with  large,  flat,  rough  bones,  or  teeth,  like 
those  of  the  sea  fishes  that  root  up  and  devour  the  hardusttestace  u; 
and  I  have  little  doult  but  that  the  naturalist  who  watches  him 
narrowly,  will  one  of  these  days  detect  him  crushing  and  consuming 
the  Uni-Jind  An|don'^||e — the  fresh  clams  of  our  muddy  flats  and 
sandy  bars. 

"  He  bites  at  the  worm,  the  Minnow,  the  Chub,  the  Lobster,  and 
makes  good  play  with  the  line,  though  he  gives  in  more  quickly  than 
the  Bass.  An  experienced  angler  can  generally  distinguish  his  bite 
and  his  resistance — but  the  most  knowing  ones  are  sometimes  taken 
in,  and  think  him  Ba.s8  until  he  is  fairly  brought  to  view. 

"  When  you  have  caught  him,  let  any  one  who  will  accept  him 
have  him ;  and  take  to  thyself  no  merit  for  the  gift.  His  moat  is 
more  like  leather  than  fish  or  flesh.  It  is  a  common  saying,  that  tho 
more  you  cook  him  the  tougher  he  bccomr  ,  and  I  am  not  aware  that 
ho  is  ever  eaten  raw.  But,  some  people  do  cat  him,  and  profess  to 
like  him  ;  they  must  have  stupendous  powers  of  mastication  and  diges- 
tion. I  have  been  told  that,  roasted  whole  in  the  ashes,  just  as  he 
comes  from  the  water,  ho  is  savory  and  tender — sed  credat  Jud/eus ! 
I  once  did  eat  him,  prepared  as  follows : — He  was  split  through  tho 
back,  put  upon  the  gridiron,  there  grilled  enough  to  cook  a  side  of 
pork  ;  his  flesh  was  removed  from  tho  skin,  boned,  chopped  up  iatu 
dice,  probably  with  a  cleaver,  and  stewed  with  milk,  butter,  pr'ppcr 
and  salt.  1  must  say  that,  thouoih  it  was  meat  of  great  tenacity,  and 
might  well  bo  likened  unto  India-rubber,  it  had  much  sweetness." 


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308 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


EEL  FISHING  AND  TRIMMERS. 


With  regard  to  the  Eel,  if  I  consulted  my  own  tastes  only,  I  should 
remain  in  utter  silence,  holding  them  totally  below  the  contempt  of 
the  angler,  although  en  matelotte,  or  a  la  tartare,  on  the  table  they 
certainly  are  not  despicable  ;  there  are,  however,  those  who  probably 
think  otherwise,  and  who  would  regard  it  as  an  omission,  perhaps  a 
slight,  if  I  were  to  pass  over  their  favorite  wriggling  reptile.  I  there- 
fore quote  from  Hofland's  British  Angler  the  following,  which  com- 
prises all  that  can  be  said  on  the  subject,  and  is  no  less  applicable  to 
the  Eel  of  America,  than  to  that  of  Great  Britain : 

"  To  angle  for  Eels,  use  a  strong  gut  line,  with  a  light  float,  and 
No.  9  hook,  and  bait  with  a  large  red  worm  ;  or  use  a  No.  6  hook, 
and  bait  with  a  marsh-worm,  and  let  your  bait  touch  the  bottom ;  but 
the  most  alluring  bait  I  know  of  for  an  Eel  is,  Salmon-roe ;  and  when 
fishing  for  Trout  with  this  bait,  the  angler  will  frequently  take  Eels, 
much  to  his  annoyance,  if,  like  myself,  he  detests  their  dirty  slime, 
and  serpent-like  writhings.  I  shall  say  nothing  of  bobbing  for  Eels, 
or  of  sniggling,  as  they  are  practices  below  the  angler ;  but  as  the 
largest  Eels  are  caught  by  night-lines,  and  this  method  is  a  necessary 
resort  for  the  supply  of  the  table,  I  shall  give  the  instructions  of 
Daniel  on  this  point. 

"'It  is  of  little  consequence  where  they — i.  e.  night-lines — aro 
laid,  as  they  will  succeed  in  streams,  when  the  Eels  are  in  search  of 
food,  as  well  as  in  the  still,  deep  holes  of  rivers ;  and  they  will  take 
frogs,  black  snails,  worms.  Roach,  Dace,  Gudgeons,  Minnows — which 
two  last  are  the  best — Loaches,  Bleaks,  and  Millers'  thumbs  ;'  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  links,  of  twelve  hairs,  should  be  doubled — or  use 
twisted  gut,  and  a  hook  tied  to  each  link  ;  these  are  to  be  noosed,  at 
proper  distances,  to  a  piece  of  cord  fifteen  feet  long  ;  bait  the  liooks 
by  making  an  incision  with  the  baiting-needle  under  the  shoulder,  and 
thrusting  it  out  at  the  middle  of  the  tail,  drawing  the  link  after  it ;  the 


y 


EEL    FISHING    AND    TRIMMERS. 


309 


point  of  the  hook  should  be  upright  towards  the  back  of  the  I  ait- 
fish  ;  fasten  one  end  to  the  bank,  or  a  stub,  and  cast  the  other  into 
the  water,  but  not  to  the  extent  of  the  line,  as  Eels  will  run  a  little 
before  the  gorge  ;  the  lines  should  be  taken  up  early  in  the  morning  ; 
such  of  the  lines  as  have  Eels  at  them  will  be  drawn  very  tight. 
Dark  nights  in  July,  August,  and  September,  are  the  best  for  this 
kind  of  fishing.' 

"  Hooks  proper  for  this  method  of  taking  Eels  may  be  purchased, 
either  double  or  single,  and  are  called  Eel-hooks.  When  a  double 
hook  is  used,  I  should  say  the  following  mode  of  baiting  is  better 
than  Mr.  Daniel's.  Without  a  baiting-needle,  enter  the  point  at  the 
fish's  mouth,  and  bring  it  out  at  the  tail,  letting  the  two  hooks  lie 
close  to  the  mouth  of  the  bait,  as  described  in  baiting  the  gorge-hook 
for  trolling. 

"  Trimmers,  baited  with  a  live  Gudgeon,  arc  sure  to  be  taken  by 
Eels.  The  wire  to  which  hooks  are  fixed  should  be  strong  and  well 
tempered,  as  the  Eel  struggles  hard  to  free  himself.  Very  large  Eels 
are  caught  in  the  lakes  of  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland,  by  trim- 
mers, baited  with  small  Trout  or  Pearch — there  called  Bass — ^with 
the  back  fin  cut  oflF.  On  Derwentwater — Keswick  lake — it  is  a  com- 
mon practice  for  parties  to  engage  a  fisherman,  who  provides  twenty 
or  thirty  trimmers  ;  the  tops  being  painted  bright  red  and  white,  that 
they  may  be  seen  at  a  distance.  The  party  should  be  in  the  boat  by 
four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  at  the  latest ;  the  fisherman  then  baits  the  trim- 
mers with  live  Bass,  small  Trout,  or  Minnows,  and  places  them  at 
equal  distances  across  the  lake,  spreading  to  the  extent  of  from  half 
to  three-quarters  of  a  mile  ;  and  if  there  are  two  or  three  boats 
beionging  to  the  party,  and  the  Pike  and  Eels  are  on  the  feed,  the 
great  diversion  is  to  see  the  trimmers  carried  oflF  by  fish,  in  difierent 
directions  at  the  same  time,  when  all  becomes  animation  and  exertion 
in  the  different  boats ;  all  rowing  towards  the  trimmers,  and  eager  to 
seize  on  their  prey ;  and  very  large  Pike  and  Eels  are  often  caught 
in  this  manner." 


wm 


310 


AMERICAN  FISHES. 


SHOAL-WATER  SEA  FISHING. 


This  sport,  which  is  pursued  with  great  eagerness  by  many  of  our 
city  anglers,  has  for  its  scene  the  ',arious  channels,  bays,  shoals,  reefs 
and  mud-flats  of  our  harbors,  the  great  land-locked  lagoons  along  our 
coasts,  and  many  places  in  the  East  river,  and  Long  Island,  as  well  as 
in  the  estuaries  of  all  the  larger  rivers  from  the  capes  of  the  Chesa- 
peake to  Massachusetts  Bay. 

It  is  pursued  in  boats,  which  are  rowed  from  spot  to  spot,  and 
anchored  over  the  various  reefs  and  shoals,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  sunken 
reefs,  about  which  these  fish  are  supposed  to  abound,  according  to  the 
state  and  variation  of  the  tides.  The  fish  usually  taken  are  the  Sque- 
teague  or  Weak-Fish,  the  Barb,  or  King-Fish,  the  Tautog  or  Black- 
Fish,  the  Striped  Bass,  the  Sea  Bass  occasionally,  the  Sheep's-Head, 
the  Big  Porgee,  and  sometimes  the  Drum. 

For  the  Sea  Bass,  however,  and  the  Porgee,  longer  excursions  are 
generally  necessary,  as  the  best  fishing  for  these  is  on  the  outer  sea- 
banks,  in  the  Atlantic,  whither  steamers  and  sloops  occasionally  pro- 
ceed with  companies  for  a  day's  amusement.  In  these,  however,  there 
is  most  frequently  more  fun  than  fishing,  although  sometimes  very 
good  sport  is  had,  and  greater  quantities  of  fish  taken. 

For  Sheep's-Head,  again,  boats  are  generally  fitted  out  expressly,  as 
this  large  powerful  fish  and  heavy  biter  requires  stronger  tackle  than 
is  needed  in  the  capture  of  any  of  the  other  species. 

The  ordinary  booty,  therefore,  of  the  shoal-water  sea  angler,  is  con- 
fined, nine  times  out  of  ten,  to  the  Weak-Fish,  the  King-Fish,  the  Stri- 
ped Bass,  and  sometimes  the  Black-Fish,  although  this  latter  diflfers 
somewhat  from  the  others  in  his  accustomed  haunts ;  and  for  these, 
all  of  which  may  be  taken  with  the  same  tackle,  and  nearly  with  the 
same  baits,  he  constantly  goes  prepared. 

The  best  localities  for  this  sport  are  so  numerous,  and  so  well  known 


BHOAL-WATER    SEA    FISHING. 


311 


to  the  guides  and  professional  fishermen  of  every  neighborhood,  that  it 
is  needless  to  enter  into  a  particular  narrative  of  their  whereabouts, 
since  it  is  very  little  likely  that  a  stranger  would  attempt  to  find  them 
unassisted  by  a  guide,  and  to  the  practised  and  experienced  angler  of 
each  region,  they  are  of  course  well  known. 


312 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


THE  WEAK-FISH. 


The  Weak-Fish  is  a  very  abundant  species  in  the  vicinity  of  New 
York,  and  is  angled  for  with  much  success  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
inner  bay.  The  name  is  said  to  be  derived  from* the  weak  mouth  of 
the  fish,  which  is  so  soft  that  it  very  frequently  is  torn  by  the  hook, 
and  so  allows  the  fish  to  escape.  It  pulls  fairly  upon  the  hook,  and 
when  struck  of  a  considerable  size,  gives  considerable  play  to  the 
angler  before  he  can  be  secured. 

Many  persons  fish  for  this  species,  and  the  others  which  haunt  the 
same  grounds,  with  the  drop-line,  but  this  is  a  poor  and  unexciting 
sport,  as  compared  with  the  use  of  the  rod  and  reel. 

The  best  rod  is  a  moderately  stiff  general  fishing-rod,  with  a  reel, 
and  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  flax  or  hemp 
line ;  a  No.  1  Kirby  hook  will  probably  be  found,  on  the  whole,  the 
most  successful ;  and  the  most  killing  baits  are  shrimp,  shedder-crabs, 
or  clams.  The  Weak-Fish  occasionally  runs  up  to  eight  or  nine  lbs, 
weight,  but  the  general  average  does  not  probably  exceed  two.  When 
quite  fresh  out  of  the  water,  the  Squeteague  is  a  very  tolerable  fish 
not  a  little  resembling  the  Trout  in  flavor,  but  it  very  soon  becomes 
soft  and  flaccid.  It  is  by  no  means  so  game  or  so  good  a  fish,  when 
taken,  as  the  Striped  Bass  or  the  King-Fish,  yet  it  is  not  without  many 
votaries  who  pursue  it  with  ardor. 

Immediately  around  the  Battery,  and  evon  from  the  Castle  Garden 
bridge,  good  spoit  is  frequently  had  with  this  fish,  as  also  on  the  flats 
off  Communipaw,  in  Buttermilk  Channel,  off  the  Owl's-Head,  as  well 
as  at  Bergen  Point,  Elizabethtown  Point,  and  many  other  places,  both 
in  the  Kills,  and  in  Newark  Bay.  It  is  said  that  the  afternoon  tides 
are  the  most  favorable  for  taking  the  Squeteague,  until  a  short  time 
before  sun-set,  but  that  so  soon  as  the  peculiar  drumming  or  croaking 
sound,  which  is  ascribed  to  this  fish,  is  heard,  it  is  useless  to  fish 
longer,  as  he  then  ceases  to  bite. 


THE    BARB,    OR    KINQ-FI8H. 


313 


THE   BARB,    OR   KING-FISH. 


This  is,  in  all  respects,  a  better  and  finer  fish,  both  for  the  captor 
or  the  epicure,  than  the  last. 

He  is  with  us,  at  New  York,  a  summer  fish  of  passage,  and  is,  it  is 
much  to  be  lamented,  becoming  yearly  more  and  more  rare. 

In  Mr.  Brown's  American  Angler's  Guide,  it  is  stated  that,  "  As  a 
game  fish,  he  is  considered  as  giving  more  real  sport  than  the  Trout, 
Bass,  or  Salmon.  His  name  and  whereabouts  has  only  to  be  whispered 
to  the  New  York  angler,  and  he  is  off  after  sport  that  he  has  perhaps 
anticipated  for  years." 

Now,  to  this  I  must  record  my  positive  dissent ;  for,  though  it  may 
be,  and  is,  very  true  that  the  King-Fish  is  a  great  favorite  with  the 
New  York  angler,  that  he  is  a  game  fish,  biting  briskly  in  those  sea- 
sons when  he  is  found  abundantly  in  these  waters,  and  offering  resist- 
ance both  longer  and  stronger  than  any  other  small  salt-water  fish — 
still  no  one — except  those  jolly  old  codgers  who  consider  patience 
demonstrated  by  sitting  still  in  an  anchored  boat,  and  comfort  evi- 
denced by  the  consolation  of  the  inner-man  with  beef  sandwiches  and 
cold  brandy-and-water — ^would  dream  of  considering  it  better  sport  to 
sit  for  hours,  between  Black  Tom  and  the  Jersey  shore,  with  no  hope 
save  that  of  hooking  a  little  fish,  which  rarely  exceeds  two  pounds  in 
weight,  with  a  bottom  bait  and  strong  ground  tackle,  than  to  hook  a 
twenty-pound  Salmon  with  a  fly  on  the  surface,  and  to  play  him  for 
an  hour  before  he  can  be  gaffed. 

The  one  sport  requires  luck  and  patience — the  other  skill,  hardi- 
hood, endurance,  courage,  long  experience,  quick  eye,  stout  heart, 
fleet  foot,  and  ready  hand.  How,  then,  shall  these  sports  be  com- 
pared ? 

I  do  not  desire,  however,  to  discredit  the  King-Fish  ;  nor  does  ho 


tm 


314 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


in  anywise  deserve  it,  as,  both  for  durante  vita  and  post-mortevi  ex 
cellence,  he  deserves  all  honor. 

He  is  to  be  caught  most  easily  with  the  rod  and  tackle  before  de  • 
scribed,  under  the  head  of  the  Squeteaque,  or  Weak-Fish,  except  that 
a  smaller  hook  should  be  used,  the  mouth  of  the  King-Fish  being 
small.     The  best  bait  is  the  sheddcr-crab. 

In  a  former  portion  of  this  work,  devoted  to  the  consideration  of 
the  natural  history  of  fishes,  I  have  quoted  an  anecdote,  published  in 
the  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser,  of  July  6, 1827,  recording  the 
capture  of  four  hundred  and  twenty-two  King-Fish,  by  a  boy  and  a 
man,  in  the  space  of  six  hours,  in  Jamaica  bay,  oflF  Rockaway ;  and  I 
find  it  stated  in  the  American  Angler's  Guide,  that  twenty  or  thirty 
are  often  taken  in  a  single  tide. 

The  first  feat  is  unsurpassed,  and  probably  never  will  be  equalled ; 
the  second  is  of  most  rare  occurrence,  so  much  so  that  now-a-days  the 
angler  justly  holds  himself  favored  by  the  marine  deities,  who  kills  his 
half-dozen  King-Fish  in  a  day. 

All  this,  however,  may  be  changed  at  any  moment ;  for  the  comings 
and  goings  of  all  migratory  animals  are  more  or  less — and  those  of 
migratory  fishes,  most — irregular. 

Their  visits  are  like  those  of  angels,  few  and  far  between.  The 
King-Fish,  the  Lafayette,  the  Blue-Fish,  nay,  even  those  scaly  cus- 
tomers, the  Prawn  and  the  Lobster,  will  swarm  this  year,  disappear 
entirely  the  next,  and  after  an  absence,  longer,  perhaps,  than  Jacob's 
double  courtship,  will  again  gladden  the  hearts  of  their  lovers  by  re- 
turning in  numbers  innumerable. 

In  New  York  harbor,  the  flats  from  Bergen  Point  to  Jersey  City, 
within  the  fortified  islands,  and  the  big  rock  called  Black  Tom,  and 
opposite  Communlpaw,  are  the  best  waters  for  the  King- Fish.  But 
in  the  Passaic  bay,  and  off  Elizabethtown  Point,  and  also  in  the 
lagoons  of  Long  Island,  they  are  taken  often  in  great  numbers. 

May  they  soon  return  to  us  as  thickly  as  of  yore,  and  remain  as 
long  as  it  suiteth  them.     They  shall  be  welcome. 


THE    SEA    BASS. 


815 


THE   SEA   BASS. 


The  Sea  Bass  is  auother  gentleman  among  his  finny  comrades,  and 
he  is  sometimes  taken  by  the  rod-fisher  while  angling  for  the  Sque- 
teaque,  or  King-Fish,  He  is,  however,  difficult  so  to  kill,  and  is  com- 
paratively rare  in  the  inner  waters. 

On  the  sea  banks  without  Sandy  Hook,  in  the  lower  bay,  and  in  the 
Sound,  he  is  very  abundant,  and  affords  great  sport  to  those  who  are 
satisfied  with  quick  biting  and  continual  hauling  in. 

Both  for  the  Bass  and  the  Big  Porgee,  stout  hempen  or  flaxen  drop- 
lines  are  the  most  successful,  varying  from  ten  to  twenty-five  fathoms 
in  length,  fitted  with  a  single  sinker  of  a  pound  weight,  and  three  or 
four  hooks  on  separate  snoods,  eighteen  inches  asunder,  of  various 
sizes,  for  various  species  of  fish. 

For  Porgees,  the  No.  3,  round  Black-Fish-hook,  is  preferred  ;  for 
Sea  Bass,  No.  1  or  2,  Kirby.  The  only  bait  is  the  clam,  and  it  is 
desirable  to  salt  him  for  a  day,  which,  hardening  the  flesh,  rendors  it 
more  difficult  for  the  fish  to  abstract  him. 

No  skill  is  required  for  this  mode  of  fishing,  except  that  of  keeping 
one's  wits  about  him,  striking  very  sharply  the  instant  he  feels  a  bite, 
and  hauling  in  rapidly  with  a  taut  line ;  for,  if  a  slack  occurs,  the  fish 
will  often  disengage  themselves. 

Many  people  are  very  fond  of  this  sport,  but  I  hold  it,  after  all,  but 
heavy  work,  not  the  less  so  for  being  considerably  laborious,  and  for 
the  fact  that  hauling  in  the  small,  cutting  line,  hand  over  hand,  and 
the  salt-water,  are  apt  to  make  the  fingers  exceeding  sore,  if  gloveless  ; 
and  to  use  gloves  in  angling,  would  be  something  like  donning  the 
upper  Benjamin  with  fox-hounds. 


l((Ui^.  .,:^, 


316 


AMERICAN  FISHEH. 


THE  TAUTOG,  OR  BLACK-rlSH. 


Of  him  Dr.  Mitchil,  not  unsagely,  nor  unpleasantly,  discourseth 
after  this  fashion.  The  facts  of  natural  history,  as  herein  recordei, 
are  worthy  of  all  confidence  ;  nor  arc  the  maxims  worthless  to  the 
angler  : 

"  The  Black-Fish  abounds  in  the  vicinity  of  Long  Island,  and  is  a 
stationary  inhabitant  of  the  salt-water.  He  never  visits  the  rivers, 
like  Salmon  or  Sturgeon  ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  deserts  his  dwelling- 
place  as  they  do.  He  is  fond  of  rocks,  reefs  and  rough  bottoms.  He 
is  taken  through  the  whole  course  of  Long  Island  Sound,  Fisher's 
Island  Sound,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rhode  Island.  The  Tautog 
was  not  originally  known  in  Massachusetts  Bay  ;  but  within  a  few 
years  he  has  been  carried  beyond  Cape  Cod,  and  has  multiplied  so 
abundantly,  that  the  Boston  market  has  now  a  full  supply,  without 
the  necessity  of  importing  from  Newport  and  Providence.  The  Black- 
Fish,  however,  does  not  confine  himself  to  rough  bottoms  ;  for  he  is 
also  caught  in  the  southern  bays  of  Long  Island,  and  on  the  banks  of 
the  ocean  oflF  Sandy  Hook.  He  is  considered,  by  the  New  Yorkers, 
as  a  very  fine  fish  for  the  table.  He  grows  to  the  weight  of  ten  or 
twelve  pounds,  and  even  more ;  but  it  is  a  fish  of  a  good  size,  that 
equals  two  or  three. 

"  He  may  be  kept  for  a  long  time  in  ponds  or  cars  ;  and  fed,  and 
even  fatted  there.  When  the  cold  of  winter  benumbs  him,  he  refuses 
to  eat  any  more,  and  a  membrane  is  observed  to  form  over  the  vent, 
and  close  it.  He  begins  to  regain  appetite  with  the  return  of  warmth 
in  the  spring.  The  blossoming  of  the  dogwood,  cornus  Jlorida,  early 
in  April,  is  understood  to  denote  the  time  of  baiting  Black-Fish.  As 
soon  as  these  flowers  unfold,  the  fishermen  proceed  with  their  hooks 
and  lines  to  the  favorite  places.  If  there  is  no  dogwood,  a  judgment 
is  derived  from  the  vegetation  of  the  chestnut  tree  castanea  vescn.  The 


THE  TAUTOO,  OK  BLACK-FISH. 


317 


season  of  baiting  is  reckoned  very  favorable  until  the  increabing 
warmth  of  the  season  brings  food  enough  to  fill  tboir  stomachs,  and 
they  thereupon  afford  less  pastime  to  the  sportsman,  and  less  profit 
to  the  professor.  The  people  express  this  sentiment  in  these  coarse 
rhymes : 

'"  When  chentuut  leaves  ure  us  big  as  thumb  nail, 
Then  bite  Black-Fish  without  fail ; 
But  when  chestnut  leaves  are  as  long  as  a  spun, 
Then  catch  Black- Fish  if  you  cau.' " 

*'  The  common  bait  for  Black-Fish  is  the  soft  clam,  mya.  The 
soldier  crab,  or  fiddler,  ocypoda,  will  frequently  tempt  him  when  he 
refuses  to  taste  the  other.  And  he  snaps  very  readily  at  the  large 
finny  worm  of  the  salt-water  beaches,  nereis,  when  used  on  a  hook 
for  him. 

"  Some  persons,  who  live  contiguous  to  the  shores  where  are  sit- 
uated the  rooks  frequented  by  Tautog,  invite  the  fish  there  by  baiting. 
By  this  is  meant  the  throwing  overboard  broken  clams  or  crabs,  to 
induce  the  Black  Fish  to  renew  their  visits,  and  fine  sport  is  pro- 
cured. 

"  Rocky  shores  and  bottoms  are  the  haunts  of  Black- Fish.  Long 
experience  Is  required  to  find  all  these  places  of  resort.  Nice  obser- 
vations on  the  landmarks,  in  different  directions,  are  requisite  to 
enable  a  fishing  party  to  anchor  on  the  proper  spot.  When,  for 
example,  a  certain  rock  and  tree  range  one  way,  with  a  barn  window 
appearing  over  a  headland  the  other  way,  the  boat  being  at  the  point 
where  two  such  lines  intersect  each  other,  is  exactly  over  some  famous 
rendezvous.  To  insure  success  on  such  expectation,  it  is  proper  to 
have  a  pilot  along,  well  versed  in  all  the  local  and  minute  knowledge. 
According  to  the  number  and  distance  of  the  rocks  and  reefs  visited, 
will  be  the  time  consumed,  from  the  duration  of  a  few  hoars  to  a  long 
summer's  day.  An  opinion  prevails,  that  the  Black-Fish  can  hear 
very  well ;  and,  for  fear  of  scaring  them  away,  the  greatest  stillness  is 
observed.  He  is  a  strong  fish,  and  pulls  well  for  one  of  his  '-/eight 
and  size. 

"  At  some  places  Black-Fish  bite  best  upon  the  flood :  in  others, 
they  are  voracious  dui'ing  the  ebb.     Thunder  accompanying  a  shower 


'  Mi'  'i  n  'J 


318 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


is  aa  indication  that  no  more  of  thorn  can  be  caught.  The  appcirnnc* 
of  a  porpoise  infallibly  puts  an  end  to  sport.  Carious  stories  are  told 
of  fish  in  the  wells  and  ponds,  floating  in  their  native  element,  having 
been  found  dead,  after  sharp  aud  repeated  flashes  of  lightning.  Dull 
weather,  with  an  easterly  wind,  is  generally  the  omen  of  ill  luck. 
The  exploits  performed  in  fishing  for  Tautog,  are  recounted  occasion- 
ally, with  remarkable  glee  ;  and  they  afiford  a  never-failing  theme  of 
entertainment  to  those  who  are  engaged  in  that  sort  of  adventure. 
Though  the  hand  line  is  generally  used,  the  rod  is  somitimes  employ- 
ed to  great  advantage.  The  Black-Fish  i.s  remarkable  for  retaining 
life  a  long  time  after  he  is  taken  out  of  water.  Ho  sometimes  swims 
over  even  ground,  and  is  caught  in  scans." 

A  stout  trolling  rod,  with  a  strong  fiaxen  line,  ond  a  reel,  are  the 
best  implements.  The  hooks  should  be  those  known  universally  as 
the  Black-Fish  hook,  of  various  sizes,  according  to  the  angler's  taste, 
ranging  from  three  to  ten.  These  should  be  armed — two  being  used, 
which  is  the  proper  number — on  hook  links  of  trcbly-twiatcd  gut,  re- 
spectively, of  twelve  and  fifteen  inches,  which  links  should  be  securely 
fastened  to  a  small  brass  ring.  This  ring  is  to  bo  looped  to  the  end 
of  the  line  to  which  the  siuker  is  appended. 

This  is  the  best  arrangement  of  the  hooks  for  all  salt-water  shoal 
bait  fishing. 

The  Black-Fish  is  entirely  a  bottom  fish,  and  is  caught  everywhere 
within  bis  geographical  range,  in  whirls  and  eddies,  in  the  close  vici- 
nity of  rocks  and  reefs. 

Robin's  reef,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Kills,  is  a  favorite  feeding- 
ground  ;  and  some  years  since  I  had  rare  sport  daily  for  many  weeks, 
about  the  hull  of  the  wrecked  packet  ship  Henri  Quatre,  below  the 
Narrows. 

The  rocks  off"  the  well-known  watering  house,  the  Sachem's  Head, 
on  the  Sound,  and  many  other  rocks  in  the  bays  and  Sound  of  Long 
Island,  are  of  equal  reputation. 

He  must  be  struck  sharply,  and  pulled  up  without  a  moment's 
quarter. 

He  is  better  in  the  pan  than  on  the  hook,  and  better  on  the  table 
than  in  the  pan.     How  you  may  cook  him  you  shall  learn  hereafter. 


1HE    8HEKI'  8  HEAI>. 


nii) 


THE  SHEEP'S-HEAD. 


This  capital  fiwli,  which  holds  the  samo  roput-;  in  Ainorica  which 
is  hold  by  thn  Turbot  in  Europe,  is  sometimes  liookod  by  the  rod-fisher 
while  angling  for  the  Barb,  Scuieteague,  or  Striped  Hass ;  but  when 
this  occurs,  he  generally  beats  his  retreat  successfully,  carryin;.;  otf 
with  him  bait,  bottom-line  and  hooks  together. 

Still  he  is  sometimes  mastered  by  delicate  skill  and  judicious  ad- 
ministration of  the  reel,  but  then  only  by  the  stoutest  tackle,  manipula- 
ted by  the  beat  o'i  fishermen.  Drop-lines  of  strong  hempen  cord, 
or  the  ordinary  Cod-lino  two  hundred  yards  long,  with  a  heavy 
sink'T,  and  a  largo  stout  Black-Fish  hook,  will,  however,  pretty  cer- 
tainly bring  him  home. 

He  frequents  the  vicinity  of  rocks,  and  loves  to  bit;)  at  tlio  (riiiall 
rock-crab,  and  the  soft-shelled  chiiu. 

The  best  way  is  to  bait  with  the  clam  whole  and  unbroken,  burying 
the  whole  hook  nearly  to  the  arming  in  the  neck  of  the  clam.  By 
doing  this,  the  incessant  and  vexatious  nibbling  of  the  small  fish  is 
avoided :  and  the  shell  of  the  clam  is  a  mere  nothino;  to  the  froat 
paved  round  teeth,  which  line  the  palate  of  this  strong,  voracious  fish. 

Where  small  fish  are  not  frequent,  the  clams  may  bo  put  on  open, 
with  success. 

The  Sheep's-Head  is  becoming  scarce  in  the  harbor  of  New  York, 
and  those  brought  into  the  city  come  mostly  from  the  south  bays  of 
Long  Island. 

No  fish  is  better  on  the  table,  or  more  valued. 

He  is  the  highest  prize  of  the  salt-water  angler,  and  the  idol  of  the 
epicure's  adoration. 

Let  him  tmjuy  his  reputation,  he  deserves  it ;  perhaps  the  know- 
ledge of  his  posthumous  honors  may  be  a  consolation  to  him  in  his 
death-pang. 


ill 


320 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


THE   DRUM. 


Neitiikr  to  catch  nor  to  cook  tin'  Drum,  will  I  teach  you,  gentlo 
reader  mine,  for  ho  is  not  worth  the  hook  which  ho  will  probably  carry 
away,  if  you  strike  him,  nor  the  salt  which  you  might  waste  in  season- 
ing him. 

Unless  in  his  vast  size  and  great  power,  he  has  no  merit,  and  in 
these  he  is  surpassed  by  the  Shark,  the  Porpoise,  and  the  Whale,  for 
which  I  should  about  as  soon  tbtnK  of  angling. 


BLUE-FISH  FISHING. 


A  GENERAL  favorito  from  his  southern  to  his  extreme  northern 
limit,  this  great  Mackerel  is  every  where  an  object  of  pursuit,  and 
deserves  to  be  so,  both  for  the  fun  of  taking  and  the  pleasure  of  eating 
him.  When  fresh  from  the  water  he  is  superlative.  A  very  bold  and 
daring  biter,  he  is  caught  in  great  numbers  iu  swift  tide-ways,  eddies 
and  inlet  mouths.  In  the  Sound,  in  the  Long  Island  South  Bay  chan- 
nels, iu  the  inlets  of  the  Jersey  beaches,  from  June  to  August,  he 
affords  rare  sport. 

Sail  for  him  in  a  large  cat-rigged  boat,  and  the  fresher  the  breeze, 
and  the  brisker  the  sea,  the  better.  In  large  schuUs  he  swims  near 
the  surface,  leaping  at  every  living  thing  which  crosses  his  track  of 
devastation. 

When  you  have  the  luck  to  strike  a  schull,  stick  to  it  perseveringly. 


bi.uz-rieH  risHirro. 


321 


orossin!*  it  tnck  and  tuck,  us  fant  us  you  cun  go  about  in  thu  diroction 
of  its  course ;  and  if  the  gods  of  the  dt^cp  look  with  bonignunce  on 
your  hibors,  you  sliall  kill  a  hundred  ut  th(>  least,  in  a  tide. 

Thus  fish  for  hiui :  To  a  stout  cotton  lini'  of  a  hundred  yards,  affix 
tt  sqiud  of  bright  tin,  or  bone,ariuod  with  a  good-sized  Kirby  hook, 
with  u  strong  gimp  hook-link.  Make  fast  the  end  of  your  lino  to  a 
elect  in  tho  stern  of  the  boat,  then  whirl  out  the  squid  to  the  wholo 
length  of  your  line,  and  play  it  with  both  hands  alternately.  The  fish 
will  strike  itself,  and  is  to  ))e  hauled  in  with  a  regular  oven  pull,  never 
jerked,  nor  yet  slacked  for  au  instant,  for  if  it  be,  the  fish  will  dis- 
engage himself  almost  certainly.  '" 

When  you  tack  your  boat,  if  tho  water  bo  shoal,  haul  in  your  line, 
else  shall  you  foul  it  in  tho  sea-woods. 

When  you  have  hooked  your  fish,  raise  your  squid  with  the  hook 
uppermost,  and  a  slight  shako  shall  cast  him  into  tho  bottom  of  the 
boat. 

Babylon,  lalip,  and  Quoguo,  on  Long  Island,  in  Fire  Island  'nK^t, 
and  Pine  inlet,  Shrewsbury,  Sqiam-Beach,  and  Barncgat,  in  Now  Jer- 
sey, the  estuaries  of  tho  rivers  in  Connecticut,  and  tho  tide-ways  in 
Boston  harbor,  arc  all  favorite  grounds  for  Blue-Fishing. 

To  conclude :  there  is  no  plcasanter  summer  day's  amusement  than 
a  merry  cruise  after  tho  Blue-Fish,  no  pleasanter  close  to  it  tha  •  the 
clam-bake,  the  chowder,  and  the  broiled  Blue-Fish,  lubricated  with 
champagne,  learnedly  frappce,  and  temperately  taken,  no  unpleasant 
medicine.  What  adds  most  to  tho  zest  of  such  a  day,  is  ihe  presence 
of  the  charming  sex,  this  being  one  of  the  few  sports  of  field  or  flood 
in  which  they  can  femininely,  and  therefore  fittingly  ytarticipate.  For 
the  rest,  you  may  take  Blue-Fish,  say  the  philosopho  •«-  >.{' thirty  pounds 
weight,  though  I  doubt  it.  Of  four  and  five  pounds  you  shall  catch 
him  surely  ;  if  of  eight,  rejoice  ;  if  of  ten,  sinj*  poeans, — for  that  is  a 
triumph. 


liil 


.'I 


m 


pi 


^ 


322 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


DEEP  SEA  FISHING. 


The  Cod,  the  Haddock,  the  Whiting,  the  Hake,  the  Halibut,  and 
the  Flounder,  ma}'  be  caught  every  where  north  of  Massachusetts  ;  and 
from  Boston  to  the  eastward,  parties  of  pleasure  are  made  constantly 
to  take  them.  On  the  Great  Banks  they  are  most  abundant,  but  in 
Boston  Bay  great  sport  is  not  uncommon,  nor  is  it  unusual  for  a  single 
boat  to  bring  in  its  fifteen  or  twenty  quintals  of  these  fine  fish. 

The  whole  sport  consists  in  the  frequency  of  the  biting,  and  the 
size  of  the  fish,  which,  for  the  most  part,  varies  from  ten  to  fifteen 
pounds  ;  for  though  they  are  sharp  and  voracious  biters,  they  require 
no  play  when  hooked,  offering  only  an  inert  resistance,  and  a  dead 
heavy  pull. 

Fifty  yards  of  stout  hempen  lino,  two  small-sized  Cod-hooks,  baited 
with  the  mud-clam,  the  menhaden,  or  where  it  can  be  procm*ed,  the 
capolin,  and  a  pound  sinker,  is  all  your  appiuaUis. 

With  this,  in  any  eastern  water,  you  may  rest  assured  of  returning 
home  with  a  boat-load  of  fish,  a  set  of  very  weary  limbs,  a  pair  of  very 
sore  hands,  and  an  enormous  appetite,  of  which,  mc  jiidice,  the  first  and 
the  last  alone  are  desirable. 

If  you  be  content  with  these,  fair  or  gentle  reader,  go  out  for  deep- 
sea  fishing  when  and  where  you  will,  provided  you  ask  me  to  follow 
you  no  farther  ;  for  here,  once  more  we  must  part.  Ere  long,  if  the 
fates — and  the  booksellers — be  propitious,  I  trust,  to  meet  again,  with 
undiminished  satisfaction,  each  of  us  with  the  other. 

And  so  fare  yo  well,  who  have  accompanied  me  so  fiir  on  my  ram- 
bling way  ;  may  all  your  pleasures,  as  you  would  have  them,  be  both 
long  and  lasting;  and  all  your  pains,  as  ye  must  have  thoni,  being 
mortal  men,  brief  and  transitory  ;  and  so  may  fair  fortunes  be  about 
ye,  and  kind  thoughts  toward  Frank  Forf.ster. 


APPENDIA 


APPENDIX.-(A.) 


THE    ANGLER'S    APPARATUS. 

From  Ilofland's  Brjtisli  Angler's  Manual. 

It  is  impossible  to  become  a  successful  angler,  without  such  a  corn- 
plate  and  well-arranged  assortment  of  tackle  as  will  enable  you  to  be 
prepared  for  all  times,  seasons,  and  circumstances  ;  and  a  true  brother 
of  the  craft  will  find  much  to  amuse  him  in  the  exercise  of  his  inge- 
nuity in  making  and  repairing  lines,  flies,  &c.,  and  in  the  orderly 
disposition  of  the  materials  of  his  art — of  which  the  following  is  a 
list : 

Rods  for  Salmon-fishing,  trolling,  spinning  the  minnow  and  bleak, 
fly-fishing,  and  angling  at  the  bottom. 

Lines  of  hair,  silkworm  gut,  Indian  weed,  plaited  silk  and  hair,  and 
patent  lino  for  trolling. 

Winches  or  reels  for  running-tackle. 

Hooks  for  trolling,  on  wire  or  gimp,  for  the  gorge,  the  snap,  &o. 

Bleak  and  minnow  tackle,  and  baiting  needles,  of  various  sizes. 

Hooks  tii3d  on  gut,  from  No.  4  to  No.  12. 

Hooks  tied  on  hair,  from  No.  10  to  No.  13. 

Loose  hooks  of  all  sizes. 

Paternosters  for  Pcarch-fishing. 

Shoemakers'  wax  and  sewing-silk. 

Floats  of  various  sizes,  and  caps  for  floats. 

Split  shot  and  plummets  for  taking  the  depth  of  the  water. 

Disgorger,  clearing  ring,  and  drag. 

Landing-net,  gaff",  and  kettle  for  live  bait. 

Gentle-box,  and  bags  for  worms. 

A  fishing-basket,  creel,  or  game  pouch. 


t';^^,  ■ 


irff 


:]'2(i 


APPENDIX.  —  A. 


A  )(;iir  of  pliers,  a  pair  of  scissors,  avid  a  p  ukiiifG. 
A  book  of  artificial  flios. 
A  book  of  geiKM-al  tackle. 


nous. 


C'hoice  rods  aro  of  the  utmost  oonscquonc;-  in  iiio  ;!n;ik'r>*  .''uccoss, 
and  various  instructions  have  been  given  by  different  authors  for 
selecting  proper  kinds  of  wood  for  the  purpose,  and  the  method  of 
making  them  ;  but  as  excellent  rods  of  every  description  are  noAv  to 
be  purchased  in  almost  every  part  of  the  United  Kingdon,  I  shall 
recommend  such  as  will  bo  generally  u.^eful,  and  may  be  procured 
without  difficulty  at  any  of  the  fishing-tackle  shops  in  J^ondon. 

In  choosing  a  rod,  be  car<!ful  to  examine  if  the  joints  lit  securely, 
if  it  be  perfectly  straight  when  put  together,  and  if  it  spring  equally 
in  all  its  parts,  from  the  butt  to  the  top,  when  bent. 

That  which  is  commonly  ternn-d  a  "  general  rod "  will  be  found 
most  useful  to  the  traveller  who  has  not  an  oj'tportunity  of  carrying 
more  than  one  with  him  at  a  time,  it  being  so  contrived  that  it  may 
be  used  either  for  liy-fishiiig,  trolling,  or  bottom  fishing,  as  the  butt 
of  the  rod  is  bored,  and  contains  several  spare  tops,  i.  e.,  one  for  the 
fly,  one  for  spinning  the  Minnow,  one  for  the  float,  and  another  for 
trolling — the  whole  being  conveniently  packed  up  in  a  canvas  bag. 

Although  this  kind  of  rod  will  be  found  highly  serviceable  on  many 
occasions,  I  would  by  no  means  recommend  the  use  of  it  when  you 
have  an  opportunity  of  employing  separate  and  appropriate  rods  for 
the  different  kinds  of  angling.  The  rods  u' .d  exclusively  for  fly- 
fishing should  be  as  light  as  possible,  consistent  with  strength,  and  if 
for  throwing  with  one  hand,  not  more  than  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
feet  hmg,  and  if  with  both  hands,  not  more  than  from  sixteen  to 
eighteen  feet.  Indeed,  a  rod  shorter  than  either  of  these  would  be 
found  very  convenient  in  a  narrow,  closidy-wooded  stream,  where  it  is 
frequently  necessary  to  i'orce  your  fly  vA'ih  a  short  lino  under  over- 
banging  bushes 

I  am  acquaint(;d  witli  some  excellent  anglers  in  the  north  of  Eng- 
land, who  cannot  be  persuaded  to  use  any  other  fly-rod  than  one 
composed  of  two  pieces  only,  and  spliced  in  the  middle  ;  but  this  is 


APPENDIX. — A 


327 


inconvenient  to  carry,  and  the  jointed  rods  are  now  brought  to  such 
perfection,  that  I  feel  assured  they  will  answer  every  purpose  of  the 
spliced  rods,  besides  being  much  more  portable.  The  Irish  fly-rods 
are  screwed  together  at  each  joint,  and  are  much  more  elastic  than 
the  English  rods. 

THE    TROLLING    ROD 

Should  be  very  strong,  and  not  less  than  twelve  nor  more  tha;>  sixteen 
feet  in  length,  witli  large  rings  upon  it,  that  the  line  may  run  freely. 

The  rod  for  spinning  a  Minnow  or  Bleak  should  be  of  baiaboo  cane, 
and  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet  long,  with  a  tolerably  stiff  top  ;  the 
rings  should  be  placed  at  a  moderate  distance  from  each  other,  and 
be  of  the  middle  size. 

The  barbed  rody  for  angling  with  the  ledger-bait,  should  have  a 
stiff  top,  and  be  about  eleven  or  twelve  feet  in  length  ;  but  for  float- 
fishing  it  must  be  much  lighter  and  something  longer. 

The  rod  for  Roach  and  Dace  should  be  of  bamboo  cane,  and,  if  for 
bank-fishing,  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet  long  ;  but  if  for  angling 
from  a  punt,  not  more  than  eleven  or  twelve  feet.  It  must  be  very 
light,  perfectly  taper,  and  of  a  proper  degree  of  elasticity,  as  the 
angler's  success  in  Roach  and  Dace-fishing  will  depend  upon  his 
dexterity  and  quickness  in  striking  when  he  has  a  bite.  Many  anglers 
never  fish  without  running-tackle,  that  they  may  be  always  prepared 
to  encounter  a  large  fish  ;  but  they  must  not  hope  to  meet  with  the 
same  sport  in  Roach  and  Dace-fishing  as  those  do  who  use  a  light  rod 
without  rings,  and  a  short  line,  when  the  chance  of  striking  your  fish 
is  much  more  certain. 


m 


i 


Will 


'.}>•, 


LINES. 

The  best  lines  for  running-tackle  are  composed  of  silk  and  hair,  of 
different  degrees  of  strength  and  thickness,  according  to  the  purpose 
for  which  they  are  intondod.  For  Salmon-fishing,  a  strong  winch  or 
pirn,  large  enough  to  contain  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  yards  of 
line,  is  requisite,  and  for  Trout  a  brass  reel,  containing  from  thirty  to 
forty  yards  of  line,  gradually  tapering  to  a  few  hairs  at  the  end,  where 
a  foot-link  of  gut  containing  the  flies  is  to  be  fixed. 


M4 


328 


APPENDIX. — A. 


Silkworm  gut  lines  arc  from  two  to  four  yarda,  and  are  used  as 
lengths  to  be  added  to  the  line  on  the  reel,  either  for  fly  or  bottom- 
flshing. 

Lines  for  trolling  arc  of  several  kinds,  some  of  twisted  silk,  and 
others  of  silk  and  hair,  but  that  sold  by  the  tackle-makors,  called 
patent  trolllng-line,  is  in  most  general  use.  A  strong  reel,  and  from 
forty  to  sixty  yards  of  line,  are  requisite. 

Indian  weed  is  a  good  material  for  bottom-tackle,  but  inferior  to 
the  silkworm  gut. 

Eel-lines,  night-lines,  and  trimmers,  may  be  purchased  ready 
fitted  up. 

A  winch,  or  reel,  is  used  for  running-tackle,  and  is  generally  made 
of  brass,  but  I  have  seen  thorn  in  Scotland  made  of  wood,  where  they 
are  called  pirns ;  the  multiplying  reel  was  formerly  much  used,  but 
from  its  liability  to  be  out  of  order,  a  plain  reel,  without  a  stop,  is 
now  generally  preferred.  Reels  are  of  various  sizes,  containing  from 
twenty  to  one  hundred  yards  of  line. 

Bleak  and  Minnow  tackle  are  of  endless  variety  in  form  and  con- 
trivance, almost  every  experienced  angler  having  his  own  peculiar 
plan. 

The  paternoster  is  a  line  used  for  Pearch  fishing,  made  of  strong 
gut,  and  should  be  connected  with  a  running-line  by  a  fine  steel 
swivel.  It  contains  three  hooks,  the  size  Nos.  7,  8,  or  9,  placed  at 
equal  distances  from  each  other;  the  first  near  the  bottom,  where  a 
small  plummet  of  lead  is  fixed  to  sink  the  line  and  the  others  each 
from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  apart.  The  hooks  are  so  contrived 
by  swivels  as  to  revolve  round  the  line,  and  thereby  give  play  to  the 
live  Minnows  with  which  they  arc  to  be  baited. 

FLOATS. 

I 

Much  care  and  judgment  are  required  in  adapting  your  float  to  the 
various  streams  or  waters  in  which  you  angle.  A  deep  and  rapid  river 
will  require  a  float  that  will  carry  from  sixteen  to  twenty  of  No.  4 
shot.  If  the  stream  be  deep  and  the  current  gentle,  a  float  carrying 
one-half  that  number  of  shot  will  be  sufficiently  heavy  ;  and  when  the 
water  is  perfectly  still,  a  very  light  quill-float,  carrying  two  of  No.  G 


APPENDIX. A. 


329 


shot,  should  be  used ;  and  I  may  remark  here,  that  the  smaller  your 
float,  the  fewer  the  number  of  shot,  and  the  finer  your  bottom-tackle, 
the  greater  will  be  your  success. 

The  tip-capped  float  is  the  best  for  pond-fishing  and  for  gentle 
streams,  as  the  line  is  confined  at  each  end  of  the  float  by  a  cap, 
which  enables  you  to  strike  at  a  fish  with  greater  precision  than  with 
a  plugged  floav,  which  has  a  wire  ring  at  the  bottom  for  the  line  to 
run  through. 

In  shotting  the  line,  I  prefer  a  number  of  small  shot  to  a  few  large 
ones,  as  they  make  less  disturbance  in  the  water. 

Your  lino  must  be  shotted  till  not  more  than  the  cap  of  your  float 
is  seen  above  the  water,  unless  it  should  be  very  rough  from  wind  or  a 
rapid  current,  in  which  case  something  more  of  the  float  must  swim 
above  water. 

The  porcupine  quill  is  a  favorite  float  with  some  anglers,  but  for  a 
moderate  stream  I  prefer  a  swan's  quill. 


■  yy 


>i    \ 


THE    LANDING-NET    AND  GAFF. 

The  landing-net  may  be  purchased  so  contrived  as  to  unscrew  from 
a  socket  in  the  handle — which  should  be  four  or  five  feet  long — and  a 
gaflTor  hook  for  landing  Salmon,  Pike,  and  large  Trout,  may  also  be 
bought  to  screw  into  the  same  socket,  and  both  the  net  and  gafi^  may 
be  carried  in  your  basket  or  creel  till  you  reach  the  river  side. 


,.,-     I'  'J 


:       \ 


I     I 


APPENDIX.-(B.) 


THE   FLY-FISHER'S   APPARATUS. 

From  Hofland's  British  Angler's  Manual. 

A  COMPLETE  fly-fisher  will  make  his  own  flies,  and  will  find  much 
amusement  in  the  practice  of  this  delicate  art.  It  will  be  necessary 
that  he  should  provide  himself  with  the  following  materials  to  enable 
bim  to  imitate  the  flies  described  heretofore  : 


HOOKS. 

London,  Kirby-sneck,  and  Limerick  hooks,  of  all  sizes.  Of  these, 
the  Limerick  hook  is  in  the  greatest  general  estimation  ;  but  in  the 
north  of  England,  the  Kirby-sneck  hook  is  preferred  for  small  hackle 
flies. 

FEATHERS. 

Cocks'  and  hens'  hackles,  of  all  colors ;  those  chiefly  in  use  are 
red,  ginger,  coch-a-bonddu,  black,  dun,  olive,  grizzle,  and  white  ;  the 
latter  for  dying  yellow,  &c. 

Peacock's  herl,  coppery  colored,  green,  and  brown. 

Black  ostrich's  herl.  - 

Gallino  fowls'  spotted  feathers. 

The  feathers  of  the  turkey,  the  grouse,  ptarmigan,  pheasant — cock 
and  hen — woodcock,  snipe,  dotteril,  landrail,  starling,  golden  plover 
or  peewit,  wild  mallard,  bustard,  sea-swallow,  wren,  jay,  blackbird, 
throstle,  blue  pigeon,  argus  and  silver  pheasant. 

Water-rat's  fur,  mole's  fur,  and  hare's  ear. 
'    Mohair,  dyed,  of  all  colors. 


APPENDIX. B 


881 


Fine  French  sewing-silk,  of  all  colors. 

Flos  silk,  of  all  colors.  .  ^     . 

German  wool,  of  all  colors. 

Gold  and  silver  twist. 

Silk  twist,  cobblers'  and  bees'-wax. 

A  pair  of  pliers,  a  pair  of  fine-pointed  scissors,  a  small  hand  slide- 
vioe,  and  a  fine-pointed  strong  dubbing-needle. 

Silkworm  gut,  from  the  finest  to  the  strongest,  and  Salmon  gut, 
single  and  twisted 

Lengths  of  the  white  and  sorrol  hairs  of  stallions'  tails. 


APPENDIX.-(0.) 


HOW    TO    COOK    FISH 


THE    SALMON 


Me  judice,  the  king  of  fishes,  is  the  best  plain  boiled.  His  richness 
is  sufficient,  his  flavor  so  excellent,  that,  so  far  from  being  improved, 
his  natural  qualities  are  destroyed  and  overpowered,  by  anything  of 
artificial  condiment. 


MY    OWN    RECEIPT    FOU    BOILING    SALMON. 

If  you  are  ever  so  lucky  as  to  catch  a  Salmon,  where  incontinently 
you  can  proceed  to  cook  him,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  wilderness,  within 
ten  yards  of  the  door  of  your  shantce,  with  the  fire  burning  and  the 
pot  boiling — good  ! 

Stun  him  at  once  by  a  heavy  blow  on  the  head ;  crimp  him  by  a 
>accession  of  cuts  on  each  side,  through  the  muscle,  quite  down  to  the 
back-bone,  with  a  very  sharp  knife,  in  slashes  parallel  to  the  gill-cover. 
Then  place  him  for  ten  minutes  in  a  cold  spring,  or  under  the  jot  of  a 
water-fall.  In  the  meantime,  keep  your  pot  boiling,  nay,  but  screech- 
ing with  intense  heat,  filled  with  brine  strong  enough  to  bear  an  egg. 
Therein  immerse  him,  having  cut  out  the  gills,  opened  the  belly,  and 
washed  the  inside,  and  boil  him  at  the  rate  of  seven  minutes  and  a  half 
to  the  pound  ;  dish  him,  and,  serving  him  with  no  sauce  save  a  tureen- 
full  of  the  water  in  which  he  has  been  boiled,  proceed  to  eat  him,  with 


APPENDIX. — C. 


33n 


no  othor  uoudimcnt  tbau  a  little  salt  and  the  HlightcHt  Hqucczo  of  a 
lemon.  I  do  not  object  to  cucumber  sliced  very  fine,  with  a  dressing 
of  oil,  three  tablespoons  to  one  of  vinegar,  salt,  and  black  pepper 
quantum  »uff ;  but  I  regard  green  peas,  or  any  other  vegetable,  with 
this  grand  fish,  as  a  cockney  abomination. 

SOYER's   receipt — SALMON    AU    NATt'REL. 

Clean  and  prepare  as  before ;  but,  if  he  bo  not  fresh  enough  to 
crimp,  scale  him,  and  proceed  as  follows  : 

"  Put  your  fish  in  cold  water,  using  a  pound  of  salt  to  every  six 
quarts  of  water ;  let  it  be  well-covered  with  water,  and  set  it  over  a 
moderate  fire  ;  when  it  begins  to  simmer,  set  it  on  the  side  of  the  fire. 
If  the  fish  weighs  four  pounds,  let  it  simmer  half  an  hour — if  eight 
pounds,  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  so  on  in  proportion ;  dish  it  on 
a  napkin,  and  serve  lobster  or  shrimp-sauce  in  a  boat." 

SOYEr's   lobster-sauce    for    SALMON. 

Put  twelve  table-spoonsful  of  melted  butter  into  a  stew-pan ;  cut  a 
middling-sized  hen-lobster  into  dice,  make  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  lobster-butter  with  the  spawn,  thus :  take  out  the  spawn  and  pound 
it  well  in  a  mortar,  then  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  fresh  butter,  mix 
them  well  together,  then  rub  it  through  a  hair  sieve  ;  when  the  melted 
butter  is  upon  the  point  of  boiling,  add  the  lobster-butter,  stir  the  sauce 
round  over  the  fire,  until  the  butter  is  melted  ;  season  with  a  little 
essence  of  anchovy,  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  a.id  a  quarter  of  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  cayenne  ;  pass  it  through  a  tamis  into  another  stew-pan, 
then  add  the  flesh  of  the  lobster.  When  hot,  it  is  ready  to  serve 
where  du-ected.  This  sauce  must  be  quite  red ;  if  not  red  in  the  lob- 
ster, use  live  spawn. 


i  Vm 


SOYER's   SHRIMP   SAUCE. 


.    Make  the  melted  butter  as  for  the  last,  but  finish  with  the  essence 
of  shrimps,  and  serve  half-a-pint  of  pickled  shrimps  in  the  boat  witli  it 
If  no  essence  of  shrimps,  the  anchovy  sauce  may  be  served  with  sliiimpa 
in  it  as  a  substitute,  if  no  essence  can  be  had. 


834 


APPENDIX. — C. 


SALMON    A     LA    BEYROOT 


Broil  two  slices  of  Salmon,  in  oiled  papiT,  over  a  niodorato  firo  ; 
when  thoy  ure  done,  poel  the  skin  from  the  edge,  and  lay  tlifui  on  a 
dish  without  a  ni^kin  ;  have  ready  the  following  sauce  :  put  on<>  table- 
spoonful  of  chopped  onions  in  a  stew-pan,  with  one  ditto  of  ('hili  vine- 
gar, one  of  common  vinegar,  two  ditto  of  Ilarvoy  sauce,  two  ditto  of 
mushroom  catsup,  and  twenty  tablespoonsful  of  melted  butter ;  let  it 
reduce  till  it  adheres  to  the  back  of  the  spoon,  then  add  two  table- 
spoonsful  of  essence  of  anchovy,  and  a  small  quantity  of  sugar,  pour 
it  over  the  fish,  and  servo  it  hot. 


HOW    TO    COOK    TROUT 


My  own  Method. 


This  is  the  method  of  the  woods,  and  in  the  woods  1  learnt  it ;  but 
having  learned,  I  practice  it  at  home,  considering  the  Trout  one  of 
the  most  delicious  morceaux,  when  thus  cooked,  in  the  world.  It 
must  be  cooked,  however,  in  the  open  air,  by  a  wood  firo  kindled  on 
the  ground  or  by  a  charcoal  fire  in  a  small  Boston  furnace. 

Clean  and  scale  your  fish,  open,  clean  and  wash  him  internally ;  take 
for  a  one  pound  fish  two  small  skewers  of  red  cedar  wood,  upon  each 
thread  a  piece  of  fat  salt  pork  half-an-inch  square  ;  with  these  fasten 
the  belly  of  the  fish  asunder,  annex  him  by  the  tail  to  a  twig  of  pliant 
wood,  which  suiTer  to  bend  over  the  fire  so  as  to  bring  the  fish  oppo- 
site the  blaze,  place  a  large  biscuiu  or  a  slice  of  thin  dry  toast  under 
the  drip  of  the  gravy,  cook  quickly — for  a  two-pound  fish,  ton  minutes 
will  suffice — dish  with  the  biscuit  under  him,  and  eat  with  salt  and 
lemon-juice,  or,  if  you  please,  with  shrimp  or  lobster  sauce,  or  a  dash 
of  Worcestershire  or  Harvey  sauce,  though  I  think  these,  for  my  own 
cheek,  bad  taste. 


TROUT    AU    NATUREL 


A  large  Sea-Trout  or  Salmon-Trout  is  to  be  cleaned,  cooked  and 
eaten  precisely  as  the  Salmon  in  my  first  receipt.  I  conceive,  myself, 
that  any  piquante  or  rich  sauce  overpowers  the  flavor  of  the  fish,  and 


APPKNUIX. — C. 


335 


should  thoreforc  bo  cHohuwed ;  but  thoso  who  favor  such  things  majr 
eat  him  with  shrimp  or  lobster  saucu  as  above. 


HOW   TO   COOK    PIKE. 

Nobbs'  Receipt  for  dressing  a  Pike. 

Take  your  Piko  and  open  him  ;  rub  him  within  with  salt  and  olaret 
wine ;  save  the  milt,  and  a  little  of  the  bloody  fat ;  cut  him  in  two 
or  three  pieces,  and  put  him  in  when  the  water  boils  \  put  in  with  him 
sweet  marjoram,  savory,  thyme,  or  fennel,  with  a  good  handful  of 
salt ;  let  them  boil  nearly  half  an  hour.  For  the  sauce,  take  sweet 
butter,  anchovies,  horse-radish,  claret  wine,  of  each  a  good  quantity  ; 
a  little  of  the  blood,  shalot,  or  garlic,  and  some  lemon  sliced ;  beat 
them  well  together,  and  serve  him  up. 

Soyer's  Receipt  for  Pike  roasted. 

This  fish  in  Franco  is  found  daily  upon  the  tables  of  the  first  epi- 
cures, but  the  quality  of  the  fish  there  appears  much  more  delicate 
than  here.  But  perhaps  the  reason  of  its  being  more  in  vogue  there 
is,  that  other  fish  are  more  scarce  ;  not  being  so  much  in  use  here-^ 
that  is,  in  London — but  in  the  country,  where  gentlemen  have  sport 
in  catching  them,  they  are  much  more  thought  of,  and  to  them,  per- 
haps, the  following  receipts  may  be  the  most  valuable.  To  dress  it 
plain  it  is  usually  baked,  as  follows :  having  well  cleaned  the  fish,  stuff 
it,  and  sew  the  belly  up  with  packthread ;  butter  a  saute-pan,  put  the 
fish  into  it  and  place  it  in  the  oven  for  an  hour  or  more,  according  to 
the  size  of  it ;  when  done,  dish  it  without  a  napkin,  and  pour  anchovy 
sauce  round  it ;  this  fish,  previous  to  its  being  baked,  must  be  trussed 
with  its  tail  in  its  mouth,  four  incisions  cut  on  each  side,  and  well 
buttered  over. 

Pike  d  la  Chambord. 

The  large  fish  are  the  only  ones  fit  for  this  dish,  (which  is  much 
thought  of  in  France.)  Have  the  fish  well  cleaned,  and  lard  it  in  a 
square  on  one  side  with  bacon,  put  it  in  a  fish-kettle,  the  larded  side 
upwards,  and  prepare  the  following  marinade  :  slice  four  onions,  one 
carrot,  and  one  turnip,  and  put  them  in  a  stew-pan  with  six  bay-leaves. 


••„■!. 


ii  ill? 


Mi 


K 

iil'.'^'ll.'?' 


(.' 


336 


APPENDIX. — C, 


Bix  cloves,  two  blades  of  mace,  a  little  thyme,  basil,  a  bunch  of  parsley, 
half-a-pound  of  lean  ham,  and  half-a-pound  of  butter ;  pass  it  over  a 
slow  fire  twenty  minutes,  keeping  it  stirred ;  then  add  half  a  bottle  of 
Madeira  wine,  a  wineglassful  of  vinegar,  and  six  quarts  of  broth ;  boil 
altogether  an  hour,  then  pass  it  through  a  sieve,  and  pour  the  liquor 
into  the  kettle  over  the  fish ;  set  the  fish  on  the  fire  to  stew  for  an 
hour  or  more,  accorr'ing  to  the  size,  but  take  care  the  marinade  does 
not  cover  the  fish,  moisten  the  larded  part,  now  and  then,  with  the 
stock,  and  put  some  burning  charcoal  on  the  lid  of  the  kettle  ;  when 
done,  glaze  it  lightly,  dish  it  without  a  napkin,  and  have  ready  the 
following  sauce  :  put  a  pint  of  the  stock  your  fish  was  stewed  in — hav- 
ing previously  taken  off  all  the  fat — into  a  stew-pan,  with  two  glasses 
of  Madeira  wine,  reduce  it  to.  half,  then  add  two  quarts  of  brdwn 
sauce,  keep  it  stirred  over  the  fire  till  the  sauce  adheres  to  the  back 
of  the  wooden  spoon,  then  add  the  roes  of  four  carp  or  mackerel — cut 
in  large  pieces,  but  be  careful  not  to  break  them — twenty  heads  of 
very  white  mushrooms,  twenty  cockscombs,  twelve  large  quenellings 
of  whiting,  and  finish  with  a  tablespoonful  of  essence  of  anchovies  and 
half  a  one  of  sugar,  pour  the  sauce  round  the  fish,  arranging  the  garni- 
ture with  taste,  add  twelve  crawfish  to  the  garniture,  having  previously 
taken  off  all  the  small  claws  ;  serve  very  hot. 

This  dish,  I  dare  say,  will  be  but  seldom  made  in  this  country,  on 
account  of  its  complication,  but  I  thought  proper  to  give  it  on  account 
of  the  high  estimation  in  which  it  is  held  in  France ;  I  must,  however, 
observe,  that  I  have  omitted  some  of  the  garniture  which  would  make 
it  still  more  expensive,  and  if  there  should  be  any  difficulty  in  getting 
what  remains,  the  sauce  is  very  good  without. 

Pike  en  matelote. 

Stuff  and  bake  the  fish  as  before ;  when  done,  dress  it  without  a 
napkin,  and  pour  a  sauce  matelote  in  the  middle  and  round  the  fish, 
and  serve  very  hot.     Or  the  fish  may  be  stewed  as  in  the  last. 

Pike  a  la  Hollandaise. 

Boil  the  fish  in  salt  and  water,  in  the  same  manner  as  Cod-Fish  ; 
drain  it  well,  dish  it  without  a  napkin,  pour  a  sauce  Hollandaise  over  it 


APPENDIX. — C. 


837 


and 


Small  Pike  d  la  Meunihe. 

Crimp  a  small  Pike,  it  must  not  weigh  more  than  two  pounds,  but 
smaller  if  you  can  get  it,  and  proceed  exactly  as  for  Sole  a  la  meu- 
nidre,  but  allow  it  more  time. 

Pike  with  caper  sauce. 

Boil  the  fish  as  before,  and  have  ready  caper  sauce  made  as  follows : 
put  fifteen  tablespoonsful  of  molted  butter  in  a  stew-pan,  and  when  it 
boils  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  fresh  butter  ;  when  it  melts,  add  two 
tablespoonsful  of  liaison  ;  let  it  remain  on  the  fire  to  thicken,  but  do 
not  let  it  boil ;  moisten  with  a  little  milk  if  required,  then  add  two 
tablespoonsful  of  capers,  and  pour  over  the  fish. 

Pike  d.  la  Maitre  d'Hdtel. 

Boil  the  fish  as  usual,  and  dish  it  without  a  napkin ;  then  put  twelve 
tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  in  a  stew-pan  ;  and  when  it  is  upon  the 
point  of  boiling,  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  maitre  d'hotel  butter, 
and  when  it  melts  pour  over  and  round  the  fish ;  serve  very  hot. 

Pike  a  la  Egyplienne. 

Cut  two  onions,  two  turnips,  one  carrot,  one  head  of  celery,  and  one 
leek  into  slices ;  put  them  into  a  large  stew-pan  with  some  parsley, 
thyme,  bay-leaves,  and  a  pint  of  port  wine  ;  then  have  your  fish  ready 
trussed,  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth  ;  put  it  into  the  stew-pan,  with  the 
vegetables ;  add  three  pints  of  broth,  and  set  it  on  a  slow  fire  to  stew, 
with  some  live  charcoal  upon  the  lid  ;  try,  when  done,  by  running  the 
knife  close  in  to  the  back  bone  ;  if  the  meat  detaches  easily,  it  is  done ; 
take  it  out,  and  place  on  a  baking  sheet ;  dry  it  with  a  cloth,  then 
egg  and  bread-crumb  it ;  put  it  in  the  oven,  and  salamander  it  a  light 
brown  ;  then  put  twenty  tablespoonsful  of  white  sauce  in  a  stew-pan, 
with  eight  of  milk,  and  reduce  it  five  minutes;  then  add  four  gher- 
kins, the  whites  of  four  hard-boiled  eggs,  and  two  truffles,  cut  in  very 
small  dice  ;  finish  with  two  tablespoonsful  of  essence  of  anchovies,  the 
juice  of  half  a  lemon,  and  four  pats  of  butter  ;  dress  the  fish  without  a 
napkin,  and  sauce  over. 

Fillets  of  Pike  en  matelote. 
If  for  a  dinner  for  twelve,  fillet  four  small  Pike ;  egg  and  bread- 


338 


APPENDIX. — C. 


crumb,  and  fry  in  oil ;  dish  them  round  on  a  border  of  mashed  pota- 
toes, previously  cutting  each  fillet  in  halves,  and  serve  sauce  matelote 
in  the  centre. 

Fillets  of  Pike  a  la  Meunihe. 

P^let  four  Pike  as  above,  cut  each  fillet  in  halves,  rub  some  chop- 
ped eschalot  into  them,  dip  them  in  flour,  broil  them ;  when  done, 
sauce  as  for  Sole  a  la  meuni^re.  Observe,  if  you  happen  to  live  in  the 
country  where  Pike  is  plentiful,  you  may  dish  the  fillets  in  as  many 
ways  as  Soles,  or  any  other  fish  ;  but  I  have  omitted  giving  them  here, 
thinking  it  useless  to  fill  a  useful  book  with  so  many  repetitions ;  we 
have  several  ways  of  dressing  Pike  to  be  eaten  cold  in  France,  which 
I  have  also  omitted,  as  they  would  be  quite  useless  in  this  country. 

HOW  TO  COOK  PEAKCH. 

The  best  mode  of  cooking  a  Pearch,  under  a  pound  weight,  is  by 
broiling  it. 

Small  Pearch  will  serve  to  make  water-souchy  thus :  Scale,  gut, 
and  wash  your  Pearch  ;  put  salt  in  your  water ;  when  it  boils  put  in 
the  fish,  with  an  onion  cut  in  slices,  and  seperated  into  rings  ;  a 
handful  of  parsley,  picked  and  washed  clean ;  put  in  as  much  milk  as 
will  turn  the  water  white  ;  when  your  fish  are  done  enough,  put  them 
in  a  soup  dish,  and  pour  a  little  of  the  water  over  them,  with  the 
parsley,  and  the  onions  ;  then  serve  them  up  with  parsley  and  butter 
in  a  boat. 

Large  Pearch  may  be  crimped  and  boiled  in  the  same  way. 

Soyefs  Receipt  for  Pearch  d  la  Hollandaise. 

Have  three  middling-sized  fishes  ready  prepared  for  cooking ;  then 
put  two  ounces  of  butter,  two  onions,  in  slices,  one  carrot,  cut  small, 
some  parsley,  two  bay-leaves,  six  cloves,  and  two  blades  of  mace  in  a 
stew-pan ;  pass  it  five  minutes  over  a  brisk  fire,  then  add  a  quart  of 
water,  two  glasses  of  vinegar,  one  ounce  of  salt,  and  a  little  pepper ; 
boil  altogether  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  pass  it  through  a  sieve  into  a 
small  fish-kettle  ;  then  lay  the  fishen  into  il,  and  let  them  stew  twenty 
or  thirty  minutes  over  a  moderate  fire  ;  dress  them  on  a  dish  without  a 
napkin,  and  pour  a  sauce  Hollandaise  over  them. 


APPENDIX. — C. 


Pearch  d  la  Maitre  d'Hdtel. 


339 


Prepare  and  cook  your  fish  as  above ;  then  put  twenty  tablespoona- 
ful  of  melted  butter  in  a  stew-pan,  and  when  it  is  upon  the  point  of 
boiling,  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  Maitre  d'Hotcl  butter,  and  pour 
the  sauce  over  the  fish,  which  dress  on  a  dish  without  a  napkin. 

Small  Pcarches  en  water  souchet. 

Cut  four  small  fishes  in  halves,  having  previously  taken  off  all  the 
scales,  and  proceed  precisely  as  for  Flounders  en  water  souchet. 

Small  P ear ches  frits  au  heurre. 

Scale  and  well  dry  six  Pearches,  and  make  incisions  here  and  there 
on  each  side  of  them  ;  then  put  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  butter  into  a 
saut^-pan,  season  your  fishes  with  pepper  and  salt,  put  them  in  t'.ie 
saut^-pan  and  fry  them  gently,  turning  them  carefully ;  when  done, 
dress  them  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with  parsley,  and  serve  without  sauce. 

In  my  opinion,  they  are  much  better  cooked  in  this  way  than  boiled 
or  stewed  ;  large  fish  may  also  be  done  this  way,  but  they  require  more 
butter,  and  must  cook  very  slowly. 

HOW  TO  COOK  CARP. 

Izaak  Walton''s  receipt. 

But  first,  I  will  tell  you  how  to  make  this  Caip  that  ?s  so  curious 
to  be  caught,  so  curious  a  dish  of  meat  =.a  'i\i<\V  in:ike  hifj^  worth  all 
your  labor  and  patience.  And  though  it  is  nf»t  >''ithout  Kii.  ;  trouble 
and  charges,  yet  it  will  recompense  both.  Take  a  Carp — alive  if 
possible ;  scour  him,  and  rub  him  clean  wJiU  .  a<:;  and  salt,  but  scale 
him  not;  then  open  him,  and  put  him  witL  his  bit^i  and  liver,  which 
you  must  save  when  you  open  him,  into  a  small  pot  or  kettle  ;  then 
take  sweet  marjoram,  thyme,  or  parsley,  of  each  a  handful ;  a  sprig 
of  rosemary,  and  mother-of-savory ;  bind  them  into  two  or  three 
small  bundles,  and  put  them  to  your  Carp,  with  four  or  f  ve  whole 
onions,  twenty  pickled  oysters,  and  three  anchovies.  Then  pour  upon 
your  Carp  as  much  claret  wine  as  will  only  cover  him  ,  and  season 
your  claret  well  with  salt,  cloves  and  mace,  and  the  rind  C'f  oranges 
and  lemons.  That  done,  cover  your  pot,  and  set  it  on  a  quick  fire 
till  it  be  sufficiently  boiled.     Then  take  out  the  Carp,  and  lay  it  with 


iiit 


!•!  i' 


I* 


1  41 


WtKf  APPENDIX. — C. 

th«  bro<h  into  the  dish,  and  pour  upon  it  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  the 
teat  fresh  batter,  melted  aisd  beaten  with  a.  half-a-dozen  spoonsful  of 
the  broth,  the  yolks  of  two  or  three  eggs,  and  some  of  the  herbs 
shred ;  gaimish  your  dish  with  lemons,  and  so  serve  it  up,  and  much 
good  to  yoTO. 

Soyer's  Receipt  for  Carp  en  matelote. 

Htve  your  fish  ready  cleaned,  and  make  four  or  five  incisions  on 
each  side  ;  then  put  two  sliced  onions,  three  sprigs  of  thyme  and  pars- 
ley, and  half-a-pint  of  port  wine  in  a  stew-pan,  or  small  fish-kettle ; 
season  the  fish  with  popper  and  salt,  lay  it  in  the  stew-pan,  add  four 
pints  of  broth,  and  place  it  on  a  slow  fire  to  stew  for  an  hour — which 
will  be  sufficient  for  a  fish  of  five  pounds  weight^ — or  more,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  ;  when  done,  dress  it  on  a  dish,  without  a  napkin ; 
drain  it  well,  and  serve  a  matelote  sauce  over  it ;  only  use  some  of  the 
stock  from  the  fish,  having  previously  taken  off  all  the  fat,  instead  of 
plain  broth,  as  directed  in  that  article. 

Carp  d  la  Genoise. 

Prepare  your  fish  as  above,  and  lay  it  in  your  fish-kettle,  with  two 
ounces  of  salt,  half  a  bottle  of  port  wine,  two  onions,  two  turnips,  one 
leek,  one  carrot,  cut  in  slices,  three  bay-leaves,  six  cloves,  two  blades 
of  mace,  and  a  sprig  of  parsley,  cover  t\'^  fish  with  white  broth  ;  stew 
it  as  before,  dress  it  without  a  napkin,  prepare  a  sauce  Genoise  and 
pour  over  it. 

Stewed  Carp  a  ia  Marquise. 

Cook  the  fish  as  above,  and  when  done,  dress  it  on  a  dish  without  a 
napkin,  and  have  ready  the  following  sauce  :  put  twenty  tablespoonsful 
of  white  sauce  in  a  stew-pan,  reduce  it  over  a  fire  until  rather  thick, 
then  add  a  gill  of  whipt  cream,  two  tablespoonsful  of  capers,  and  two 
of  chopped  gherkins ;  pour  over  the  fish,  then  sprinkle  two  tablespoons- 
ful of  chopped  beot-root  over  it,  and  serve. 

Carp  with  caper  sauce. 

Cook  the  fish  as  above,  and  dress  it  without  a  napkin ;  then  put 
twenty-five  tablespoonsful  of  meltod  butter  into  a  stew-pan,  and  when 


APPENDIX. — C. 


841 


nearly  boiling  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  fresh  butter ;  stir  it  till  the 
butter  melts,  then  add  four  tablespoonsful  of  capers,  and  pour  over. 
This  sauce  must  be  rather  thick. 

Carp  fried. 

Open  the  fish  down  the  back  with  a  sharp  knife  from  the  head  to 
the  tail,  cutting  off  half  the  head,  so  that  the  fish  is  quite  flat ;  break 
the  back-bone  in  three  places,  but  allow  the  roe  to  remain ;  then  dip 
the  fish  in  flour,  and  fry  it  in  hot  lard  ;  dress  it  on  a  napkin,  garnish 
with  parsley,  and  serve  plain  melted  butter,  well-seasoned,  in  a  boat. 

HOW    TO    COOK    EELS. 

Eels  fried. 

Cut  the  Eels  in  pieces  about  three  inches  long,  dip  them  in  flour, 
egg  and  bread-crumb,  and  fry  them  in  very  hot  lard,  dress  them  on  a 
napkin,  garnish  with  parsley,  and  serve  shrimp-sauce  in  a  boat. 

Eels  a  la  Tartare. 

Cut  the  Eels  and  fry  as  above,  have  ready  some  Tartare  sauce  upon 
a  cold  dish,  lay  the  Eels  upon  it,  and  serve  imraediatelj' ;  should  the 
Eels  be  large,  they  must  be  three-parts  stewed  before  they  are  fried ; 
dry  them  upon  a  cloth  previous  to  bread- crumbing  them. 

Spitchcocked  Eels. 

Take  th  >  bones  out  of  the  Eels  by  opening  them  from  head  to  tail, 
and  cut  them  in  pieces  about  four  inches  long,  throw  them  into  some 
flour,  then  have  ready  upon  a  dish  about  a  couple  of  handfuls  of  bread- 
crumbs, a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  parsley,  a  little  dried  thyme,  and 
a  little  cayenne  pepper,  then  egg  each  piece  of  Eel  and  bread-crumb 
them  with  it,  fry  them  in  very  hot  lard,  dish  them  on  a  napkin,  and 
serve  shrimp-sauce  in  a  boat. 

Stewed  Eels. 

Cut  the  Eels  in  pieces  as  before,  and  tie  each  piece  round  with  pack- 
thread, then  put  them  into  a  stew-pan  with  an  onion,  a  tablespoonful 
of  white  wine,  three  cloves,  three  whole  allspice,  a  bunch  of  parsley, 
thyme,  and  bay-leaf,  and  a  littlo  white  broth,  sufficient  to  cover  them ; 


^    -1 


949 


APPENDIX. — C. 


place  them  over  a  moderate  fire,  and  let  them  stew  gently  for  half  an 
hour  or  more,  if  required — according  to  the  size  of  the  Eel — take 
them  out,  drain  them  on  a  napkin,  dish  them  without  a  napkin,  and 
have  ready  the  following  sauce  :  put  a  teaspoonful  of  chopped  onions 
into  a  stew-pan  with  four  tablespoonsful  of  white  wine,  and  eight  ditto 
of  brown  sauce,  let  it  boil  gently  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  keeping 
it  stirred,  then  add  a  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  anchovies  and  a  little 
sugar,  and  pour  over  your  Eels. 

Eels  en  matelote. 

i-W.v;  the  Eels  as  above,  dress  them  without  a  napkir,  and  pour  a 
saucs  matel')te  over  them.  They  may  also  be  served  with  a  sauce  i 
la  x>?yrout. 


m 


I 

i 


HOW  TO  COOK  SHAD. 


Broiled  Shad. 


Scale,  clean,  out  off  the  head  and  fins,  split  down  the  back,  broil 
quickly  over  a  charcoal  fire ;  broil  the  roe  separately  in  the  same 
manner  ;  serve  on  a  hot  dish,  garnished  with  the  roe  and  fried  parsley. 
Eat  with  drawn  butter,  anchovy,  or  shrimp  sauce. 

To  Boil  Shad. 

Scale,  open,  clean,  and  wash  your  fish ;  boil  him  quickly,  wrapped 
in  a  napkin,  in  boil'ag  water  ;  serve  upon  a  napkin,  garnished  with 
fried  parsley ;  eat  with  caper  sauce. 

Sea-shore  receipt  for  Roasted  Shad. 

Split  your  fish  down  the  back  after  he  is  cleaned  and  washed,  nail 
the  halves  on  shingles  or  short  bo;.rd ;  stick  them  erect  in  the  sand 
round  a  large  fire  ;  as  soon  as  they  are  well  browned,  serve  on  what- 
ever you  have  got ;  eat  witJi  cold  butter,  black  pepper,  salt,  and  a 
good  appetite. 

This  is  a  delicious  way  of  cooking  this  fine  fish. 

HOW  TO  COOK  TAUTOG. 

Clean,  score,  and  broil  your  Black-Fish  quickly  ;  lay  it  in  a  stcTr- 


APPENDIX.— C. 


343 


pan,  with  a  bottle  of  port  wine,  two  sliced  onions,  six  or  seven  cloves, 
and  a  few  pepper-corns  ;  add  an  eschalot  and  some  cayenne  ;  pour  in  a 
quart  of  weak  vcal-broth,  stew  gently  for  an  hour. 

HOW  TO  COOK  SQUETEAGUE. 

Boil  when  cleaned,  and  serve  with  shrimp  sauce,  precisely  as  Salmon 
or  Trout. 

HOW  TO  COOK  SEA   BASS. 

Boiled. 

Boil  plain,  as  above ;  serve  with  shrimp  sauce,  caper  sauce,  or 
parsley  and  butter. 

Broiled. 

Broil  quickly  over  a  charcoal  fire ;  serve  with  matelote  sauce,  as 
follows  : 

Sauce  Matelote. 

Peel  about  twenty  button  onions,  then  put  a  teaspoonful  of  powdered 
sugar  in  a  stew-pan,  place  it  over  a  sharp  fire,  and  when  melted  and 
getting  brown,  add  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  two  walnuts,  and  your 
onions,  pass  them  over  the  fire  until  rather  brown ;  then  add  a  glass 
of  sherry,  let  it  boil,  then  add  a  pint  of  brown  sauce  and  ten  spoonfuls 
of  consomme,  simmer  at  the  corner  of  the  fire  until  the  onions  are 
quite  tender,  skim  it  well ;  then  add  twenty  small  quenelles,  ten  heads 
of  mushrooms,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  anchovies,  one  of  catsup, 
one  of  Harvey  sauce,  and  a  little  cayenne  pepper.  Serve  where 
directed. 

HOW  TO  COOK  KING-FISH. 

Broil  over  a  quick  fiire,  serve  plain,  eat  with  anchovy  or  shrimp 
sauce. 

Fry  in  olive  oil,  serve  plain,  eat  with  salt  and  red  pepper. 

HOW  TO  COOK  sheep's-head. 

Rub  it  over  with  salt  and  lemon  before  putting  it  in  the  water.  To 
every  six  quarts  of  water  add  one  pound  of  salt.     Boil  a  ten-pound 


'Mi; 


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(41 

■rrvg-''  '/5«wT5«5^^^'r 


344 


APPENDIX. 


-C. 


fish  about  twenty  minutes.     Serve  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with  parsley, 
eat  with  shrimp  or  lobster  sauce . 


HOW    TO   COOK    HALIBUT. 

Soyer'a  Receipt  for  Halibut  to  boil. 

A  Halibut  must  be  well  rubbed  over  with  salt  and  lemon  before  it 
is  put  in  the  water ;  have  ready  a  large  Halibut-kettle  half-full  of  cold 
water,  and  to  every  six  quarts  of  water  put  one  pound  of  salt,  lay  the 
fish  in,  and  place  it  over  a  moderate  fire ;  a  Halibut  of  eight  pounds 
may  be  allowed  to  simmer  twenty  minutes  or  rather  more ;  thus  it  will 
be  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour  altogether  in  the  water ;  when  it 
begins  to  crack  very  slightly,  lift  it  up  with  the  drainer,  and  cover  a 
clean  white  napkin  over  it ;  if  you  intend  serving  the  sauce  over  your 
fiijh,  dish  it  up  without  a  napkin  ;  if  not,  dish  it  upon  a  napkin,  and 
have  ready  some  good  sprigs  of  double  parsley  to  garnish  it  with,  and 
serve  very  hot. 

Halibut  d  la  Crime, 

Cook  the  Halibut  as  above,  and  dish  it  without  a  napkiu — but  be 
careful  that  it  is  well  drained  before  you  place  it  on  the  dish,  and  ab- 
sorb what  water  runs  from  the  fish  with  a  napkin,  for  that  liquor  would 
spoil  your  sauce,  and  cause  it  to  lose  that  creamy  substance  which  it 
ought  to  retain ;  this  remark  applies  to  all  kinds  of  fish  that  is  served 
up  with  the  sauce  over  it ;  then  put  one  pint  of  cream  on  the  fire  in  a 
good-sized  stew-pan,  and  when  it  is  nearly  simmering  add  half-a-pound 
of  fresh  butter,  and  stir  it  as  quickly  as  possible  until  the  butter  is 
melted,  but  the  cream  must  not  boil ;  then  add  a  liaison  of  three  yolks 
of  eggs,  season  with  a  little  salt,  pepper,  and  lemon-juice,  pour  as 
much  over  the  Halibut  as  will  cover  it,  and  serve  the  remainder  in  a 
boat ;  or  if  not  approved  of,  dish  the  fish  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with 
parsley,  and  serve  the  sauce  in  a  boat  This  sauce  must  not  be  made 
until  the  moment  it  is  wanted. 

Halibut  Sauce  homard. 

Cook  the  Halibut  as  before,  then  take  an  ounce  of  lobster  spawn 
and  pound  it  in  a  mortar  with  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  fresh  butter, 
rub  it  through  a  liair  sieve  with  a  wooden  spoon  upon  a  plate ;  have 


APPENDIX.- 


345 


ready  a  pint  of  good  melted  butter  nearly  boiling,  into  which  put  the 
rod  butter,  and  season  with  a  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  anchovy,  a 
little  Harvey  sauce,  cayenne  pepper,  and  salt,  then  cut  up  the  flesh  of 
the  lobster  in  dice  and  put  in  the  sauce  ;  serve  it  in  a  boat  very  hot. 

Halibut  d  la  HoUandaise, 

Cook  the  Halibut  as  before,  and  dish  without  a  napkin ;  then  put 
the  yolks  of  four  eggs  in  a  stew-pan  with  half-a-pound  of  fresh  butter, 
the  juice  of  a  lemon,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  quarter  of  one  of 
white  pepper  ;  set  it  over  a  slow  fire,  stirring  it  the  whole  time  quickly ; 
when  the  butter  is  half-melted  take  it  oflF  the  fire  for  a  few  seconds, 
still  keeping  it  stirred,  till  the  butter  is  quite  melted,  then  place  it 
again  on  the  fire  till  it  thickens,  then  add  a  quart  of  melted  butter,  stir 
it  again  on  the  fire,  but  do  not  let  it  boil,  or  it  would  curdle  and  be 
tiseless ;  then  pass  it  through  a  tammie  into  another  stew-pan,  make  it 
hot  in  the  bain  marie,  sturring  all  the  time  ;  pour  it  over  the  fish  or 
serve  in  a  boat.  The  sauce  must  be  rather  sharp  ;  add  more  season- 
ing if  required. 

Halibut  d,  la  Mazarine. 

Cook  the  fish  as  above,  then  have  all  the  spawn  from  two  fine  hen 
lobsters ;  if  not  sufficient,  get  some  live  spawn  from  the  fishmonger's, 
making  altogether  about  two  ounces ;  pound  it  well  in  the  mortar  and 
mix  it  with  half-a-pound  of  fresh  butter,  rub  it  through  a  hair  sieve, 
place  it  upon  ice  until  firm,  then  put  it  in  a  stew-pan  with  the  yolks 
of  four  eggs,  a  little  pepper,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  four  table- 
spoonsful  of  lemon-juice,  place  it  over  the  fire,  and  proceed  as  for  the 
sauce  HoUandaise,  adding  the  same  quantity  of  melted  butter,  and  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  essence  of  anchovy,  pass  it  through  a  tammie  into  a 
clean  stew-pan  to  make  it  hot,  dish  the  fish  without  a  napkin,  soaking 
up  the  water  in  the  dish  with  a  clean  cloth,  and  pour  the  sauce  over 
it ;  be  careful  the  sauce  does  not  boil,  or  it  will  curdle. 

This  dish  is  one  of  the  most  elegant,  and  is  the  best  way  of  dressing 
a  Halibut ;  for  I  have  always  remarked,  that  notwithstanding  its  sim- 
plicity, it  has  given  the  greatest  satisfaction,  both  for  its  delicateness 
and  appearance,  causing  no  trouble- — only  requiring  care. 


\m 


346 


APPENDIX. — C. 


Halibut  en  matelote  Normande. 
Procure  a  gmallish  Halibut,  oue  weighing  about  ten  pounds  would  be 
the  best ;  out  oflF  part  of  the  fins,  and  make  an  incision  in  the  back,  but- 
ter a  saut^-pan,  large  enough  to  lay  the  Halibut  in  quite  flat,  and  put 
three  tablespoonsf'  1  of  chopped  eschalots,  three  glasses  of  sherry  or 
JVlrideira,  half  a  tcaspoonful  of  salt,  a  little  white  pepper,  and  about 
half-a-pint  of  white  broth  into  it,  then  lay  in  the  Halibut  and  cover  it 
over  with  white  sauce,  start  it  to  boil  over  a  slow  fire,  then  put  it  into 
a  moderate  oven  about  an  hour,  try  whether  it  is  done  with  a  skewer ; 
if  the  skewer  goes  through  it  easily  it  is  done ;  if  not,  bake  it  a  little 
longer,  then  give  it  a  light  brown  tinge  with  the  salamander,  place  tho 
fish  upon  a  dish  to  keep  it  hot,  then  put  a  pint  of  white  sauce  in  the 
saute-pan  and  boil  it  fifteen  minutes,  stirring  it  all  the  time,  then  pass 
it  through  a  tammie  into  a  clean  stew-pan,  and  add  a  little  cayenne 
pepper,  two  tablespoonsful  of  essence  of  anchovies,  two  dozen  of  oys- 
ters, blanched,  two  dozen  of  small  mushrooms,  two  dozen  quenellefj, 
six  spoonsful  of  milk,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  reduce  it  till  about 
the  thickness  of  buchamel  sauce,  thin  add  eight  tablespoonsful  of 
cream  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  pour  over  the  Halibut ;  have  ready 
twenty  coriito  is  of  broad  cut  triangularly  from  the  crust  of  a  French 
roll,  and  fried  in  butter ;  place  them  round  the  dish,  and  pass  the  sala- 
mander over  it,  and  serve. 

Halibut  en  matelote  vierge. 
Boil  a  Halibut  as  before,  dish  it  up  wi<)hout  a  napkin,  and  havo 
jfaady  the  following  sauce :  chop  two  onions  very  fine  and  put  them  in 
a  stew-pan  with  four  glasses  of  sherry,  a  sole  cut  in  four  pieces,  two 
cloves,  one  blade  of  mace,  a  little  grated  nutmeg,  some  parsley,  and 
one  bay-leaf ;  boil  altogether  five  minutes,  then  add  a  quart  of  white 
sauce,  boil  twenty  minutes,  stirring  all  the  time,  then  put  a  tammie 
over  a  clean  stew-pan,  and  colander  over  the  tammie,  pass  the  sauce, 
take  the  meat  oflF  the  sole  and  rub  it  through  the  tammie  with  two 
spoons  into  the  sauce,  add  half  a  pint  of  broth,  boil  it  again  until  it  is 
rather  thick,  seasou  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  one  of  sugar,  the  juice 
of  a  lemon,  and  finish  with  half-a-pint  of  cream  whipped,  mix  it  quickly 
and  pour  over  the  fish ;  garnish  with  white-bait  and  fried  oysters,  that 
have  been  egged  and  bread-crvunbed ;  or  if  there  is  no  white-bait, 
smelts  will  do. 


APPENDIX. — C. 

Halibut  d  la  Religieuse. 


347 


Dress  the  Halibut  an  before,  aud  cover  with  HoIIanduise  sauce ; 
chop  some  Taragon  chervil,  and  one  French  truffle,  which  sprinkle 
over  it ;  garnish  with  hard-boiled  eggs  out  in  four  lengthwise  and  laid 
round. 

Halibut  d  la  Cremi  ;  gratine. 

Put  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  flour  in  a  stew-pan,  mix  it  goutly  with 
a  quart  of  milk,  be  careful  that  it  is  not  luni|i'  then  add  two  escha- 
lots, a  bunch  of  parsley,  one  bay-leaf,  and  a  si  f  thyme  tied  toge- 
ther, for  if  put  in  loose  it  would  spoil  the  ooloi  of  your  sauce,  which 
should  bo  quite  white,  then  add  a  little  grated  nutmeg,  a  teat-poonful 
of  salt  and  a  quarter  ditto  of  pepper,  place  it  over  a  sharp  fire  and  stir 
it  the  whole  time,  boil  it  till  it  forms  rather  a  thickish  paste,  then  take 
it  off"  the  fire  and  add  half-a-pound  of  fresh  butter  and  the  yolks  of  two 
eggs,  mix  them  well  into  the  sauce  and  pass  it  througo  a  tammie  ;  then 
having  the  remains  of  a  Halibut  left  from  a  previous  dinner,  you  lay 
some  of  tie  sauce  on  the  bottom  of  a  dish,  then  a  layer  of  the  Halibut, 
without  any  bone,  season  it  lightly  with  pepper  and  salt,  then  put 
another  layer  of  sauce,  then  fish  and  sauce  again  until  it  is  all  used, 
finishing  with  sauce  ;  sprinkle  the  top  lightly  with  bread-crumbs  and 
grated  Parmesan  cheese  ;  put  it  in  a  moderate  oven  half  an  hour,  give 
it  a  light  brown  color  with  the  salamander,  and  serve  it  in  the  dish  it  is 
baked  in. 

Halibut  a  la  Poissoniere. 

Boil  a  Halibut  as  before,  and  take  it  up  when  only  one-third  cooked, 
then  put  in  a  large  saute-pan  or  baking-sheet  forty  button  onions 
peeled  and  cut  in  rings,  two  ounces  of  butter,  two  glasses  of  port  wine, 
the  peel  of  half  a  lemon,  and  four  spoonsful  of  chopped  mushrooms, 
then  lay  in  the  Halibut,  and  cover  with  a  quart  of  brown  sauce,  set  it  in 
a  slow  oven  for  an  hour,  then  take  it  out  and  place  it  carefully  on  a 
dish,  place  the  fish  again  in  the  oven  to  keep  it  hot,  then  take  the 
lemon-peel  out  of  the  sauce  and  pour  the  sauce  into  a  stew-pan,  reduce 
it  till  rather  thick,  then  add  twenty  muscles,  (blanched,)  twenty  heads 
of  mushrooms,  and  about  thirty  fine  prawns  ;  when  ready  to  serve  add 
one  ounco  of  anchovy  butter,  a  tablespoonful  of  sugar,  and  a  little 


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APPENDIX. — C. 


cayenne  pepper,  stir  it  in  quickly,  but  do  not  let  it  boil ;  pour  the 
sauce  over  the  fish,  and  serve  very  hot. 

Halibut  d  la  Cr^me  d'Anchois. 

Boil  the  Halibut  and  dish  it  without  a  napkin,  then  pour  the  follow- 
ing sauce  over  it  and  serve  immediately :  put  a  quart  of  melted  butter 
into  a  stew-pan,  place  it  on  the  fire,  and  when  nearly  boiling  add  six 
ounces  of  anchovy  butter,  and  four  spoonsful  of  whipped  cream,  mix  it 
quickly,  but  do  not  let  it  boil ;  when  poured  over  the  fish  sprinkle 
some  chopped  capers  and  gherkins  over  it. 

Small  Halibut  d  la  Meuni^re. 

Crimp  the  Halibut  by  making  incisions  with  a  sharp  knife,  about  an 
inch  apart,  in  the  belly  part  of  the  fish,  then  rub  two  tablespoonsful  of 
chopped  onions  and  four  of  salt  into  the  incisions,  pour  a  little  salad 
oil  over  it,  and  dip  it  in  fiour,  then  put  it  on  a  gridiron  a  good  distance 
from  the  fire — the  beliy  downwards — let  it  remain  twenty  minutes, 
then  turn  it  by  placing  another  gridiron  over  it,  and  turning  the  fish 
over  on  to  it,  place  it  over  the  fire  for  about  twenty-five  minutes,  or 
longer  if  required ;  when  done  place  it  upon  a  dish  and  have  ready 
the  following  sauce :  put  six  ounces  of  butter  in  a  stew-pan,  with  ten 
spoonsful  of  melted  butter,  place  it  over  the  fire,  moving  the  stew- 
pan  round  when  very  hot,  but  not  quite  in  oil,  add  a  liaison  of  two 
yolks  of  eggs,  a  little  pepper,  salt,  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  mix  it 
quickly,  and  pour  over  the  fish  ;  serve  directly  and  very  hot.  The 
fish  must  be  kept  as  white  as  possible.  For  the  above  purpose  the 
Halibut  should  not  exceed  eight  pounds  in  weight. 

Halibut  d  la  gratin  Provertfale. 

This  dish  is  made  from  fish  left  from  a  previous  dinner.  Put  two 
tablespoonsful  of  chopped  onions,  and  two  of  chopped  mushrooms  into 
a  stow-pan  with  two  tablespoonsful  of  salad  oil ;  place  it  over  a  mode- 
rate fire  five  minutes,  stirring  it  with  a  wooden  spoon  ;  then  add  three 
pints  of  brown  sauce,  and  reduce,  it  one-third,  then  add  a  clove  of 
scraped  garlic,  a  teaspoonful  of  Harvey  sauce,  one  of  essence  of  an- 
chovy, a  little  sugar,  a  little  cayenne,  and  two  yolks  of  eggs,  pour  a 
little  sauce  on  the  dish  you  serve  it  on,  then  a  layer  of  fish  lightly 


APPENDIX.- 


349 


seasoned  with  pspper  and  salt,  then  more  sauce  and  fish  again,  finish- 
ing with  sauce ;  sprinkle  bread-crumbs  over  it  and  place  it  in  a  mode- 
rate ovon  half-an-hour,  or  till  it  is  very  hot  through,  brown  it  lightly 
with  the  salamander  and  serve  very  hot.  The  garlic  may  be  omitted 
if  objected  to,  but  it  would  lose  the  flavor  from  which  it  is  named. 

HOW    TO    COOK    FLOUNDERS. 

Soyer'a  Receipt  for  Flounder  en,  matelote  Normande. 

Cut  the  fins  off  a  fine  fresh  Flounder,  and  make  an  incision  down 
the  back  close  to  the  bone,  in  which  put  some  force-meat  of  fish,  well 
seasoned  with  chopped  eschalots  and  parsley,  then  butter  a  sautd-pan 
very  lightly,  and  put  a  teaspoonful  of  chopped  eschalots  into  it  with 
two  glasses  of  white  wine  ;  lay  ihe  Flounder  into  it  and  season  with  a 
little  pepper  and  salt,  then  cover  it  with  some  bechamel  sauce,  and 
put  it  into  a  moderate  oven  for  about  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour 
— but  try  whether  it  is  done  with  a  skewer — brown  it  lightly  with  the 
salamander ;  then  take  up  the  Flounder,  dish  it  without  a  napkin,  and 
make  the  sauce  as  follows :  put  six  spoonsful  of  white  sauce  in  the 
saute-pan  with  six  ditto  of  milk,  let  it  boil  four  minutes,  keeping  it 
stirred,  then  add  one  dozen  oysters  blanched,  one  dozen  quenelles  of 
whiting,  one  dozen  mushrooms,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  ancho- 
vies, and  four  tablespoonsful  of  cream,  with  a  little  cayenne  pepper 
and  sugar ;  pour  the  sauce  over  and  round  the  fish,  pass  the  salaman- 
der again  over  it,  and  garnish  round  with  fried  bread  cut  in  small  tri- 
angles. The  sauce  may  be  passed  through  a  tammie  before  the  gar- 
niture is  added,  if  required.  Fried  smelts  are  frequently  served  as 
garniture  around  it. 

Flounder  d  la  Poltaise. 

Trim  a  fine  Flounder  and  make  an  incision  down  the  back,  clearing 
the  meat  from  the  bone,  then  melt  two  ounces  of  butter,  and  mix  with 
it  a  teaspoonful  of  chopped  eschalots,  one  of  chopped  mushrooms,  ono 
of  chopped  parsley,  and  a  glass  of  sherry ;  put  the  Flounder  in  a  dish, 
and  pour  the  butter,  etc.,  over  it ;  sprinkle  a  few  bread-crumbs  on  it, 
and  put  it  in  the  oven  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour  ;  when  done, 
pour  a  little  anchovy  sauce  over  it,  and  brown  it  lightly  with  the  sala- 
mander. 


m 


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360 


APPENDIX. — C. 


Flounder  aux  fines  herbes. 

Boil  a  Flounder — if  the  Flounder  is  very  fresh  it  may  be  put  in  boil- 
ing water,  but  it  is  best  to  let  it  only  simmer — in  salt-and-water,  and 
dish  it  without  a  napkin ;  have  ready  the  following  sauce :  put  in  a 
stew-pan  six  teaspoonsful  of  chopped  onions  and  a  piece  of  butter,  fr^ 
the  onions  a  light  brown,  then  add  eight  tablespoonsful  of  brown  sauce, 
and  let  it  boil  at  the  corner  of  the  stove  ten  minutes,  then  add  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  chopped  mushrooms,  half  ditto  of  chopped  parsley,  ono 
ditto  of  essence  of  anchovies,  and  the  juice  of  a  quarter  of  a  lemon  ; 
pour  it  over  the  fish  and  serve.  This  sauce  must  be  rather  thick,  but 
not  too  much  so. 


HOW    TO   COOK    HADDOCK. 

Soyer's  Receipt  for  common  Haddock,  plain. 

This  is  a  very  serviceable,  light,  wholesome  fish,  and  may  be  ob- 
tained, like  Soles  or  Whitings,  at  any  time  of  the  year  ;  to  dress  them 
plain,  put  them  in  boiling  water  well  salted,  and  let  them  simmer  about 
twenty  minutes,  or  according  to  the  size,  dress  on  a  napkin,  and  serve 
shrimp  sauce  in  a  boat. 

Haddock  d  la  Walter  Scott. 

Put  two  tablespoonsful  of  chopped  onions,  one  ditto  of  Harvey 
sauce,  one  ditto  of  catsup,  one  ditto  of  sherry,  and  twenty  ditto  of 
melted  butter  into  a  middling-sized  stew-pan,  place  it  over  the  fire  and 
let  it  boil  fifteen  minutes,  keeping  it  stirred,  then  have  ready  a  good- 
sized  Haddock,  cut  in  four  pieces,  put  it  into  the  stew-pan  with  the 
sauce,  place  it  over  a  slow  fire  for  twenty  minutes,  or  longer  if  neces- 
sary ;  when  done,  dress  it  on  a  dish  without  a  napkin ;  reduce  the  sauce 
a  little  more  if  required,  then  add  a  little  sugar  and  essence  of  an- 
chovy, pour  it  over  the  fish  and  serve. 

Fillets  of  Haddock  d  la  St.  Paul. 

Fillet  your  fish  the  same  as  a  Whiting,  dip  the  fillets  in  flour,  egg, 
and  bread-crumb,  and  fry  in  hot  lard,  or  oil,  in  a  saut6-pan,  dress 
them  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with  fried  water-cress,  and  serve  with  two 
ounces  of  anchovy  butter  melted,  but  not  boiled,  in  a  boat. 


APPENDIX. — C. 


351 


Fillets  of  Haddock  d  la  Hollandaise. 

Fillet  your  fish  as  above,  and  proceed  as  for  fillets  of  Whiting  d  la 
Hollandaise. 


HOW    TO    COOK    WHITINGS. 


Soyer'a  Receipt  for  Whitings,  to  fry  them. 

Every  person  knows  the  delicacy  of  this  fish,  and  its  lightness  as 
food,  especially  invalids ;  it  is  generally  well  rpceived  at  all  tables :  to 
fry  them  well,  dry  them  in  a  cloth,  then  throw  them  in  flour,  egg  and 
bread-crumb,  fry  them  in  hot  lard,  observing  the  directions  for  frying 
Soles ;  serve  them  on  a  napkin  with  shrimp-sauce  in  a  boat,  and  gar 
nish  with  parsley. 

Whiting  au  gratin. 

Have  the  Whitings  skinned,  with  their  tails  turned  into  theii  mouths ; 
butter  a  saute-pan  and  put  in  the  Whitings,  with  a  tablespoonful  of 
chopped  onions  and  four  tablespoonsful  of  brown  sauce  over  each ; 
sprinkle  bread-crumbs  over  them,  and  a  little  clarified  butter,  and  put 
them  xO  a  moderate  oven  half  an  hour ;  take  them  out  and  dress  them 
on  a  dish  without  a  napkin ;  then  put  twelve  tablespoonsful  more 
brown  sauce  into  the  saute-pan,  with  a  teaspoonful  of  chopped  mush- 
rooms, one  ditto  chopped  parsley,  one  ditto  essence  of  anchovy,  a 
little  pepper,  salt,  and  sugar,  boil  ten  minutes,  pour  round  the  fish, 
and  pass  the  salamander  over  them. 

Whitings  broiled. 

Have  the  fish  skinned  and  curled  round,  flour  it,  and  lay  it  on  the 
gridiron  over  a  moderate  flre ;  it  will  take  about  twenty  minutes ;  dish 
it  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with  parsley,  and  serve  plain  melted  butter  iu 
a  boat.     Season  when  near  done. 

Whitings  boiled  d  la  Maitre  d'HStel. 

Broil  the  fish  as  above,  dish  them  without  a  napkin,  have  six  table- 
spoonsful of  melted  butter  in  a  stew-pan,  put  it  to  boil,  then  add  two 
ounces  of  maitre  d^hdtel  butter,  stir  it  till  it  is  melted,  but  do  not  let 
it  boil,  and  pour  over  the  fish. 


dS8 


APPENDIX.^ — C. 


Fillets  of  Whitings  fried. 

Take  the  fillets  of  six  small  Whitings  which  have  not  been  skinned, 
dip  them  in  flour,  egg,  and  bread-crumb  them,  and  fry  in  very  hot 
lard ;  garnish  with  fried  parsley,  and  serve  with  sauce  HoUandaise  in 
a  boat. 

Fillets  of  Whitings  d  la  HoUandaise. 

Fillet  six  Whitings  as  above,  cut  them  in  halves,  then  butter  a  saut^- 
pan,  and  lay  in  the  fillets,  skin  side  downwards ;  season  with  a  little 
pepper,  salt,  and  lemon-juice,  place  them  over  a  slow  fire  five  minutes, 
turn  them  and  place  them  again  on  the  fire  ;  when  done,  dish  them 
round  on  a  dish,  and  pour  some  sauce  HoUandaise  over  them 

Fillets  of  Whi:ings  d  Vltalienne. 

Fillet  and  dress  the  fish  as  in  the  last,  adding  chopped  parsley  to 
the  seasoning,  and  make  the  sauce  as  for  Filets  de  Soles  a  I'ltalienne. 

Whiting  d  VHuile. 

Fry  the  Whiting  in  very  hot  salad  oil,  instead  of  lard,  of  a  very 
light  brown  color  ;  dish  it  on  a  napkin,  garnish  with  fried  parsley,  and 
serve  shrimp-sauce  in  a  boat 


^VJtt 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


Abdominal  MALACOpreRYaii,  23. 

meaning  of  the  term,  fli. 

list  of  the  fresh -water  fish  of  that 
division,  23,  25. 

natural  history  of  the,  34  to  184. 

the  fishing  of,  225  to  296. 
Acanthopterygii,  22. 

meaning  of  the  term,  22. 

list  of  fresh-water  fislies  of  that  di- 
vision, 25. 

natural  history  of  the,  185  to  224 

the  fishing  of,  310  to  321. 
Adirondach  Lake  and  Highlands,  256. 
iEglefinis  Morrhua.  31,  223. 
^neus  Centrarchus,  25,  198,  305. 
Agassiz,  Professor,  preface,  et  passim. 
Alosa  PrsBstabilis,  23, 180. 
Amethystus  Salmo,  23,  104. 
American  game  fish,  17 

Bream,  174. 

Haddock,  123. 

Shad,  180. 

Salmouidffi,  34  to  148. 

Saudre,  192. 

Sand-smelt,  298. 

Smelt,  136. 

CyprinidcB,  194  to  177. 

EiJOcidtB,  149  to  163. 

Ciupidae,  178  to  181. 

Siluridffi,  182  to  184 

AnguillidsB,  180. 

Yellow  Pearch,  187. 

Whiting,  224. 
Ammodytes  Lanncea,  32. 
Anguillidee,  182  to  184. 
Angler's  apparatus,  the — appondix  A — 

325. 
Apodal  Malacopterygii,  22,  185. 
Apparatus,  the  fly-fuher's,  330. 
Appnndix  A.,  325. 

B.,  330. 

C,  332, 
Argyrops  Pagrus,  30, 217. 
Aitilmwmeg,  141. 
Atlierina  Monidia,  .^2. 


Auratus,  Carpio  Cyprinus,  24. 

Bait,  passim,  under  the  heads  of  varloiw 

kinds  of  fishing. 
Bars  on  the  young  Trout,  28,  97. 
Bar- Fish  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  190. 
Bass  Black,  195. 

Rock,  198. 

Striped,  189. 

Otsego,  145. 

Oswego,   or  Lake    Sheep's-Head, 
202. 

Sea,  205. 

Little  White,  190. 

Ruddy,  190. 

Striped  Bass  fishing,  297. 

Black  Bass  fishing,  301. 

Rock  Bass  fishing,  305. 

Sea  Bass  fishing,  3 15. 
Battures,  Truite  des,  108. 
Bay  fishing,  310. 
Black-Fish,  Tautog,  2  W.  .'Mfi. 
Blue-Fish,  Skipjack,  2lH.  .'i20. 
Bottom-fishing,  21. 
Bream.  American,  174. 
Britis*  <Ji.-egoni,  24. 
Brook  Ti  'ut,  23,  86,  2.)3. 

youutj  of  the,  86. 

of  the  Marshpee,  87. 

colors  of  the.  88,91. 

the  Silver,  93. 

the  Common,  93. 

the  Massachusetts,  03. 

the  Black,  93. 

the  Sea,  93. 

the  Hucho,  93. 

size  of  the,  94. 

of  Waquoit  Bay,  96. 

of  Fireplace,  96. 

habits  of  the,  97. 

of  Hamilton  County.  101. 

where  they  are  taken,  253. 

the  fishing  of,  253. 

the  rod  for,  2.54. 

fly-fiahiug  for,  2.5.'>,  269. 


'  t  Hi 

m 


356 


INDEX. 


Brook  Trout,  anecdotes  of  (iHhiug,  357. 

Long  Island  Hshing,  2()U. 

inland  fishinj;,  267. 

bush-iiBhinf;,  or  daping  for,  273. 
BroRtnius  Vulgaris,  33. 

Carolina  Trout — niisnornor — 23. 
Carp,  24,  164. 

Common,  24,  164. 

Golden,  24,  I6l>. 

Carp  fishing,  2*J4. 
Capelin,  139. 
Cat-Fish,  24,  182. 
Centrarchus  iEneus,  25,  198,  305. 
Centropristes  Nigricans,  29,  205,  315. 
Chondropterygii,  23. 
Chowder.  20. 
Chub,  24. 

)he  sea,  29,  207. 
Charr,  the  Arctic,  23,  126. 
Chromis  Pogonias,  29,  213. 

FusciatuB,  213. 
Clam  bake,  20. 

bait  under  various  heads  of  iiahing. 
Clupoa  Virescens,  24,  180. 
Cluppidte,  24,  280. 
Cod-Fish,  31,222,  322. 
Confinis,  Salmo,  23,  116. 
Coregonus  Albus,  23,  141. 

Otsego,  23,  145. 
Corvina  Oscula,  202. 

Richardsonii,  203. 

the  Branded,  311. 

the  Silvery,  212. 

\rgyroleuca,  211. 

Ocellata,  213. 
Cyprinidte,  164. 
Cyprinus  Carpio,  164,  294. 

Auratus,  166. 

Leuciscus  Rutilus,  170. 

Stilbe  Chrysoleucas,  173. 

Abramifl  Versicolor,  174. 

Hydrargyra,  176. 
Conroy,  tackle-maker,  preface,  and  pas- 
sim. 
Cookery  of  fishes — appendix  C — 332. 
Conroy's  rods,  241.  ,  i 

Dentatub  Fleuronectes,  32  313. 
Drum-Fish,  29,  213,  320. 

Eel,  22,  185,  308. 
Erythrogaster,  Salmo,  27. 
EsocidsB,  34,  149,  3S1. 
Esox,  34. 

Estor,  34,  151,  381. 

Lucioides,  24,  154,  261. 


Esox  Reticulatus,  24,  157,  981. 
Fitsoiatus,  24,  161. 
Niger,  163. 
Phaleratus,  163. 
VittHius,  163. 
ONseus,  24,  163. 

Fario  Salmo,  23. 
Fasciatus,  Esox,  24, 161. 

Pogonias,  2 Id- 
Fish  and  Fishing,  passim. 

game,  of  Amurica,  17. 

Black,  220. 

Blue,  218. 

Cat,  182. 

King,  209. 

Pond,  201). 

Weak,  208. 
Fishes,  fresh-water,  34  to  203. 

shoal-water,  204  to  222. 

deep-sea,  222  to  225. 
Fishing,  bottom,  21. 

deep-sea,  322. 

ground  bait,  passim,  under  fishes 

fresh-water,  225,  et  seq. 

lake,  274,  301,308. 

river,  225. 

shoal- water,  310. 

Carp,  294. 

Eel,  308. 

Blue-Fish,  320. 

King- Fish,  313. 

Bass,  Striped,  297. 

Bass,  Sea,  315. 

Tautog,  316. 

Drum,  320. 

Sheep's-Head,  319. 

Salmon,  225. 

Lake  Trout,  274 

Trout,  253. 

Pickerel,  281. 

Foarch,  290. 

Pike  Pearch,  288. 

Bass,  Black,  301. 

Bass,  Rock,  304. 

SalniMi  Trout,  281. 

worm  for  Salmon,  250. 

worm  for  Carp,  294. 
Fish,  how  to  cook — appendix  C — 332. 
Fly-fisher's  apparatus,  the —  appendix  B 

—330. 
Fly  for  Salmon,  243,  and  seq. 

for  Trout,  246,  354. 

Black  Bass,  303. 

Striped  Bass,  397. 

Shad,  180. 

for  Herrings,  178. 


INDEX. 


357 


Fly  for  all  iinall  fiMhex,  276. 

Sulmoii  Trout,  ^77. 
Funtiiialis,  Sulino,  23,  86. 

Game  fiiihps  of  North  America,  17. 

Garpike,  24,  163. 

Gold-FiMi),  34,  166. 

Gill-covers  of  fisheg,  46. 

Grayjii));,  Duck's,  131. 

Great  Northern  Pickerel,  149. 

Greatest  Luke  Trout,  104. 

Grilse,  uiicier  Salmon,  51,  and  passim. 

GristcH  Nigricans,  25,  195. 

Growler,  197. 

Greve,  Trnite  de,  104. 

GadidoB,  232. 

Griste8  Salmoides,  197. 

Haddock,  the  /Vmerican,  223. 

fishiner,  322. 
Halibut,  32,  322. 
Hake,  32. 
Huiiiilton   county    oassim  from  225  to 

277. 
Herring,  178. 
Hippogldssus  Vulgaris,  32. 
Hybridization  of  fishes,  69. 
Hooks — appendix  A— 32.i. 

under  the  head  of  every  kind  of  iish 
ing. 

Island,  Long,  Trout  fishing  on,  257. 
Trout  peculiar  to,  93. 
Pickerel  oi",  24,  161. 

Labrid^c,  30. 

Lubrax  Lineatus,  25,  189,  297. 

Lafayrtte-Fish,  207. 

Lake  Trout,  species  of,  26. 

the  Greatest,   or   Namaycush,  23, 
104. 

the  Siskawitz,  23,  112. 

the  Common,  23,  116. 

thn  Sebago,  23,  20. 
Lamprey,  22. 
Leiostomus  Obliqnus,  29. 
Lucioides,  Esox,  24,  154. 
Lucioperca,  25,  192. 

Americana,  192. 

Canadensis,  194. 

Grisea.  194. 

Mauamacush,  23,  126,  274. 
Malacopterygii,  22.  25, 39,  to  184. 

Abdominal,  34  to  184. 

Apodal,  22  to  185. 

Subbrachial,  222  lo  224. 


Minnows,  170. 

Mackinaw  Salmon,  34,  86,  274 

Mascalonge,  151 

fishing,  281. 
Malasheganay,  203. 
Menidia,  Atherina,  32. 
IMerlangus  Americanus,  33,  224. 
Merlucius  Vulgaris,  32. 
Morrhuu  Vulgaris,  31,  223. 

iEglefinis,  31,223. 

Namaycitsii,  Indian  name  of  Mackinaw 
Salmon,  23, 104. 

fishing,  274. 
Nebulosa,  Umbrina,  29,  313. 
Nigricans,  Grit^tcs,  25,  195,  301. 

Centropristes,  29,  205,  315. 

Obliuuus  Leiostomne,  29,  207. 
Otolithus  RoHalis,  25,  208,  312. 

Carolinensis,  25,  26,  39,  208. 
Oscula  Corvina,  202. 
Osseus  Esox,  34. 
Otsego  Bass,  23,  145. 

Lavaret,  34. 
Oswego  Bass,  25,  202. 

ditferent  from  the  Black,  196 
Osmerus  Viridescens,  23,  136. 
Ovis,  Sargus,  30,  2 15,  319. 

Faqrus  Argyrops,  217. 
PercidiB,  25,  187. 
Parr,  passim,  from  34  to  120. 
Pearch,  the  American  Yellow,  25,  187 
280. 

the  White,  25. 

the  Common,  25. 

the  rough  Yellow,  180. 

the  rough-headed  Yellow,  180 

the  sharp-nosed  Yellow,  180. 

ihe  slender  Yellow,  180. 

the  Silvery,  211. 

fishing,  280. 
Perca  Americana,  25,  187. 

Pallida,  25. 

Fluviatilis,  25. 

Cerrato  Grannlata,  180. 

Granulata,  180. 

Acuta,  180. 

Gracilis,  180. 
Pickerel,  24. 

the  Great  Northern,  34,  154,  281. 

the  Common,  24.  157.  281. 

the  Long  Island,  24,  161,  281. 

the  White,  of  the  Ohio  and  Wa- 
bnsh,  149. 

the  Black  of  Pennsylvania,  149. 


858 


INOKX. 


PlokanI,  the  Garpike,  34. 

flahing.  981. 

the  rod  for,  389,  335. 

the  bait  for,  383. 

the  hooka  for,  985,  986. 

the  tackle  for,  984. 
Pike  Peitrch,  95. 

the  American,  193. 

the  Canadian,  194. 

the  Gray,  194. 
Pleuroneotea  Dentatua,  33. 
Pimelodea  Huron,  189. 
Pogoniaa  Chromis  34,  313. 

FttMsiatui,  313. 
Pond-flih,  3U0. 
Pomotit)  35. 
Porgee,  the  big,  30,  317. 

the  Sand,  317. 

the  Rhomboidal,  317. 

RoG-BAiT,  Salmon,  251. 

Shad,  399. 
Rods — appendix  A — 335. 

under  the  heada  of  each  kind  of  fish" 

ing. 
for  Salmon-Trout,    Pickerel,   Sus., 
339  to  335. 
Reels,  under  each  kind  of  fiahing,  as 
above,  339  to  335. 

S*LMONiDiB,  33,  34  to  145. 
Sttlmo,  33.  ;/ 

Salar,  33,  34. 

Fontinalia,  33,  54. 

Amethystus,  or  NamaycuBh,33,86. 

Siakawits,  33,  104. 

Confinia,  33,  113. 

Hoodii,  or  Masamacuih,  93, 136. 

Trutta  Marina,  93,  190. 

Erythrogaster,  97. 

Sebago,  36. 

ThymalluM  Signifer,  33,  131. 

Oamerus  Viridescena.  33,  136. 

Mallutus  Villotus,  139. 

Coregonus  Albua,  Attihawmeg,  33, 
145. 

CoregonuR  Otsego,  33,  145 
Salmon,  the  True,  33,  54. 

the  Mackinaw,  33,  86. 

the  Great  Lake  Trout,  33,  104. 

Lake  Trout,  33,  113. 

the  iiistinctions  of,  45,  et  seq. 

the  migrations  of,  63,  et  seq. 

the  size  of,  79. 

the  growth  of,  60,  et  »eq. 

the  hybridization  of,  73. 
'        the  haunts  of,  74,  335. 


Salmon,  the  habita  of,  34  to  86. 

the  generation  of,  43,  54, 58,  ataei) 

how  to  propagate,  69,  71. 

the  fiahing  of,  335,  353.  ' 

the  rod, 

the  fliea,  350. 

the  roe-bait,  &o.,  951 

Pinks,  .34,  63. 

Smolt,  61. 

Peal,  63. 

Parr,  51. 

Grilse,  63. 

Saltator,  Temnodon,  30.  318.  330. 
SarguftOvis,  30,  315,  319. 

Rhomboides,  317. 

Arenosus,  317. 
Scienids,  305  to  317. 
Scombride,  318,  319. 
Sea  Bass,  39,  305,  313. 
Striped  Bass,  179,  397. 
Sea  Chub,  39,  309. 

Fearch,  311. 
Sebago  Salmon,  36. 
Skip-jack,  30,  318. 
Silvery  Pearch,  311. 

Corvina,  311. 
Smelt,  33,  136. 
Snap-hooks,  385,  386,  335. 
Shad,  180. 

taken  with  the  fly,  181. 

roe  bait  for  Bass,  399. 
Sheep's-head,  the  Sea,  315,  319. 

the  Lake,  303. 

tlie  Lnke  Black,  303. 
Sparidffi,  317. 

Subbrachial  Malacopterygii,  31,  339  to 
335. 

Tacklr — appendix  A — 335. 

under  the  heads  of  every   kind  of 
fish. 
Tautog.  30,  330,  316. 
Tautoga  Americana,  30,  330,  316 
Trolling,  see  Pickerel  fishing,  381 

Blue-Fish  fishing,  330. 

appendix  A.,  335. 

rods,  as  above. 
Trout,  Brook,  33,  86.  ^ 

Greatest  Lake,  33,  104. 

Siskawitz  Lake,  33,  113. 

Common  Lake,  33,  136. 

Sebago  Lake,  36. 

Southern,  35,  36,  39,  908. 

Salmon  or  Sea,  130. 

drscription  of  the  Brook,  8b. 

young  fry  of  the  biuok,  93,  97. 


INDKX. 


3A9 


Trout,  liia  of  (he  firook,  100. 

flahiiig  of  tli«  lirooli,  U.VI. 

Long  laluiid  naliiiix,  SA?. 

Salmon  flahiiig  in  Naw  llrunaw 
977. 

Lake  Trout  nahUiff.  371. 
Troutlet.  the.  8(1. 

Trutta,  Halino  Muriim,  93,  190,  977. 
Turbot,  915 

Umwina  Nebuloaa,  90,  900,  31.1. 

ViRiDiBOENB,  OamaruB,  93,  130. 
>ul|{arii,  Broamlua,  39. 

Marluolua,  ,39, 

MorrhuK,  39. 


lok. 


Vulgnria,  flippogloaaua,  39. 
Pomotia,  aUO. 


Watrr,  freah,  Aahea,  34  to  903. 

flahinir,  939  to  308. 

aalt,  flkhea,  905  to  995. 

R»Wtng,  310  to  399. 

ahoul,  fiahoa,  905  to  990^ 

flahinff,  3l0to.190 
Weak-Fiah,  908,  313. 
While.Fiah,  141. 
VVhlliiijf,  294,  399. 
Worm  bait  for  .Salmon,  950. 

for  other  iiahea  under  the  heud  ol 
•Boh> 


i 


SUPPLEMENT 


TO 


FRANK  FORESTER'S 


FISH    AND    FISHING 


OF  THE 


UNITED  STATES 


AND 


BRITISH  PROVINCES  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


B  Y 


WILLIAM  HENRY  HERBERT, 

AUTHOR  or 
THE  FIELD  8F0RTB  OF  NORTH  AMERICA,'  <  FRANK  FORESTER  AND  HIB  FRIENDS,'  ETa 


1 1\ 


X  h^ 


.•     W  r  >..„ 


II 


NEW-YORK , 

STRINGER  &   TOWNSEND, 
292   Broad  WAV. 


I  fe  i'  '>* 


I  ill 


' ;  1 


1.     » 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  ConKress,  in  the  year  1850, 

BV  STRINGER  AND  TOWNSEND, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Conrt,  for  the  Southern  District  of  NewYorlc 


lonu  R-  WiNRCR,  Sicreotyper, 

SO  Ann  Street,  (rear  building.) 


INDEX    TO   PLATE   OF   FLIES. 


I.  RED  PALMER  HACKLE. 

a.  PEACOCK  PALMER  HACKLE. 

3.  BLACK  SILVER  PALMER. 

4.  VELLOW' PALMER  HACKLE. 
6.  BLACK  PALMER  HACKLE. 


6.    BLACK  PALMER  HACKLE,  Ribbed 
with  Uold. 


7.  GREEN  DRAKE,  OR  MAY  FLV. 

8.  GREY  DRAKE,  OR  MAY  FLY. 

9.  COW  DUNG. 
10.  BEE  FLY. 

U.  BLACK  GNAT. 

19.  HARE'S  EAR. 


13.  COCK  TAIL. 

14.  WHIRLING  DUN. 

15.  KINGDOM  FLY. 

16.  WHITE  GNAT. 

17.  BLUE  DUN. 

18.  RED  ANT. 

19.  GOLD  SPINNER. 

20.  WHITE  MOTH. 

21.  GOVERNOR. 

aa.    MARCH  BROWN. 

23.  STONE  FLY. 

24.  WILLOW  FLY 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


( I 


On  coming  to  revise  the  body  of  this  work  for  a  second  edition,  it 
was  found,  as  might  naturally  be  expected  in  a  book  embracing  so 
large  a  field,  that  some  errors  had  crept  in,  of  commission,  but  yet 
more  of  omission ;  that  some  opinions  with  regard  to  fishes,  unknown 
to  the  writer  through  his  own  observation,  quoted  from  others,  are,  as 
verified  by  his  own  experience,  incorrect ;  and  that  some  few  things 
stated  as  facts,  when  tried  by  the  same  test,  are  incorrect.  « 

To  set  these  right  in  the  body  of  the  work,  would  have  rendered  it 
necessary  to  reprint  and  re-stereotype  the  whole  volume  ;  as,  by  the 
insertion  of  new  matter,  the  paging  would  have  been  all  thrown  out  of 
order,  and  many  whole  pages  would  have  been  entirely  destroyed, 
merely  in  order  to  rectify  a  single  word. 

I  have  therefore  judged  it  best  to  throw  what  new  information  I 
have  gained,  into  the  form  of  a  Supplement ;  embodying  therein  the 
correction  of  all  erroneous  opinions  which,  through  want  of  informa- 
tion, or  misinformation,  I  have  fallen  into ;  and  adding  farther  instruc- 
tions with  regard  to  the  implements,  and  the  art  of  angling. 

On  Trolling  for  Lake  Trout,  and  on  Fishing  with  the  Fly,  very  con- 
siderable additions  will  be  found  in  this  edition ;  as  well  as  a  Table  ex- 
plaining the  seasons,  bait,  &c.,  of  the  principal  salt-water  fishes  of 
our  waters. 

I  had  hoped  to  have  been  able  to  insert  some  information  concern- 


IV 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 


ing  the  more  interesting  sea-fish  of  the  Southern  States ;  but  having 
waited  as  long  as  it  was  possible,  for  a  number  of  specimens  of  which 
I  had  a  promise  from  a  friend  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  I  am 
very  reluctantly  compelled  to  go  to  press  without  that  advantage,  and 
am  precluded  from  doing  much  more  than  naming  what  I  learn  to 
be  the  best  and  gamest  of  the  southern  species. 

In  this  Supplement,  I  shall  adhere  to  the  plan  adopted  in  the  Vol- 
ume, of  dividing  it  into  two  parts,  one  treating  of  the  structure,  habits, 
and  classification  of  the  fishes ;  the  other  of  the  implements,  the  ma- 
terials, and  the  art  of  angling. 

The  Salmon  family  will  claim — as  of  the  Volume  itself,  so  of  the 
Supplement  also — the  larger  portion.  Of  this  interesting  group,  the 
proper  Salmons,  I  have  herein  inserted  descriptions  of  six  new  species 
peculiar  to  the  Columbia  and  other  rivers  of  the  Pacific  coast,  now 
growing  into  so  great  importance ;  and  of  the  sub-genus  Coregonus,  of 
the  same  group,  I  have  two  new  varieties  from  the  north-western  lakes. 
Concerning  the  several  varieties  of  Lake  Trout,  I  have  cause  materi- 
ally to  modify  opinions  expressed  heretofore ;  and  have  succeeded  in 
collecting  much  new  information  as  to  their  habits,  quality,  instincts, 
and  the  mode  of  capturing  them. 

To  the  various  friends  who  have  assisted  me  with  advice,  informa- 
tion, and  friendly  criticism,  I  take  this  opportunity  of  again  express- 
ing my  gratitude,  and  of  putting  it  on  record  how  much  is  due  to  them 
of  the  increased  value  of  this  edition. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS, 


PART     I  . 

FAttl 

Introductory  Remarks 3 

The  Game  Fishes  of  America           .        .     *  .       .        .        .  7 

The  Siilmon 9 

The  Brook  Trout 13 

Tlie  Greatest  Lake  Trout 16 

The  Siskawitz 17 

The  Lake  Trout 19 

The  Salmon  Trout 25 

The  Salmon  of  the  Pacific  Waters 27 

TheQuinnat 31 

Guirdner's  Salmon 34 

The  Weak-toothed  Salmon 36 

TheEkewan 37 

TheTsuppitch     . 39 

Clarke's  Salmon 40 

The  North-west  Capelin 42 

The  White  Fish.        .        .                45 

Le  Sueur's  Herring  Salmon 46 

The  Lake  Huron  Herring  Salmon 48 

The  Pike  Pearch 61 

Southern  Sea  Fishes           ........  63 

p a  RT    II . 

The  Fishing  of  North  America 65 

Salmon-Fishing 67 

Tlie  Rod  and  Tackle           .       • 67 

The  Casting-Line 69 

Trout-Fishing 61 

The  Rod 61 

The  Use  of  the  Rod 64 


t  t. 


VI  CONTENTS. 

s  PAoa 

Of  Trolling  for  Lake  Trout 66 

The  Rod 66 

The  Reel 67 

The  Lino 68 

The  Leader  and  Train  of  Hooks 68 

The  Bait  and  Flies 69 

The  Bait  Kettle 69 

The  Boat  and  Oarsman,  or  Guide 69 

The  Manner  of  Strilcin^ 70 

Set  Lines  for  Lolce  Fishing 73 

ARTIFICLA.L  Flies 74 

Salmon  and  Luke  Trout  Flies             82 

Lake  Trout  Flies 82 

Trout  Flics 83 

Sea  Fishing  : 

Table  of  Depths,  Baits,  how  to  Strike  and  Kill         ...  84 

Table  of  Tackle,  and  Average  Weight 86 

Table  of  Spring,  Summer  and  Autumn  Baits,  Times  of  Tide  and 

Day                                 86 


.7 


PART   L 


THE 


GAME   FISHES 


OF 


^lartli  ^rntm. 


€}^t  (0aiiie  /i9Ji!9  nf  Einnira. 


ADDOMINAI, 
MALACon'KRVnit. 


BALMONIDiE. 


THE  SALMON. 

THE  COMMON  SALMON — THE  TRUE  SALMON. 

Salmo  Salari  Auotorum. 

I  STATED  in  tho  body  of  this  work,  that  tho  True  Salmon  was  wont, 
in  former  yourn,  to  run  up  into  Scncoa,  Cayuga,  and  others  of  tho 
small  lakoH  of  oontral  Now  York,  and  expressed  a  doubt  whether  it 
was  not  now  provontud  from  doing  so,  by  the  obstructions  in  the  Os- 
wego river. 

In  tho  oourso  of  a  visit  to  that  interesting  region,  during  the  past 
autumn,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  verifying  this  doubt ;  and  I  found,  as 
indeed  I  ezpootud,  that  tho  True  Salmon  has  ceased  to  exist  in  those 
beautiful  waters. 

It  is  with  groat  ploasuro,  however,  that  I  lay  before  my  readers  an 
enactment  for  tho  prusorvation  of  that  noble  fish,  just  passed  by  tho 
Supervisors  of  tho  county  of  Oswego,  in  conformity  with  tho  act  of  tho 
State  Legislature,  committing  tho  care  of  Game,  and  the  passing  of 
Game  laws,  to  those  Hoards  throughout  tho  country. 

This  act  is  preoirioly  what  it  should  be,  and  reflects  tho  highest 
credit  on  tho  liberality,  wisdom,  and  energy  of  the  Board  which  en- 
acted it.  I  only  regret  that  its  provisions  extend  only  to  a  single 
river ;  but  I  trust  that  this  defect  will  be  amended,  and  that  the  Os- 
wego River,  and  tho  Sonoca,  Cayuga,  and  other  outlets  will  receive  the 
same  privilege,  which  would  doubtless  lead  to  the  speedy  re-establish- 
ment of  the  Salmon  in  those  lovely  and  limpid  waters : 


'  M 


m 


f  u 


10 


AMEBICAN    FISHES* 


LAW  FOR  THE  PRESERVATION  OF  SALMON. 


rVBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  SUPERVISORS. 


An  Act  for  the  preservation  of  Salmon  in  the  Salmon  River  and  Lake  Ontario  con< 
tiguous  thereto : — Passed  Dec.  12th,  1836. 

The  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  County  of  Oswego,  convened  at  Pulaski,  in  the 
naid  county,  do  enact  as  follows : 

^  1.  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  to  fish  for,  catch,  or  take,  any  Salmon, 
with  any  net,  seine,  weir,  of  any  kind  or  description,  in  any  of  the  waters  of  the 
Salmon  River  in  said  county,  or  in  the  waters  of  Lake  Ontario,  within  one  mile  of 
the  mouth  of  said  river,  between  the  first  day  of  April  and  the  twentieth  day  of  Oc- 
tober, in  any  year  aher  the  passage  of  this  act.  And  any  person  ofilending  herein, 
shall,  for  every  such  ofTencc,  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be 
recovered  by  action,  with  the  costs  of  suits,  by  and  for  the  use  of  any  person  who 
will  prosecute  for  the  same  before  any  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  said  county 
of  Oswego. 

§  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  Salmon  so  caught  and  taken  in  any  of 
the  waters  aforesaid,  in  violation  of  the  prpvisions  of  this  act,  together  with  any 
seine,  net,  weir,  or  traps  so  used  or  set  for  use,  in  violation  of  this  act  as  aforesaid, 
shall  be  forfeited  to  and  may  be  immediately  taken  into  possession  of,  and  carried 
away,  by  any  person  who  shall  find  said  net,  seine,  weir,  or  trap,  while  so  used  or 
set  for  use  as  aforesaid ;  and  such  person  may  and  he  is  hereby  authorised  to  keep, 
sell  or  otherwise  dispose  of  the  same  for  his  own  use  and  benefit,  as  to  him  may 
seem  fit  and  proper.  And  any  such  weir  or  trap  which  shall  be  affixed  to  any  dam 
or  other  obstructions  in  any  of  the  waters  of  Salmon  River,  or  which  shall  be  set  or 
secured  to  the  bottom  of  said  river  or  lake  aforesaid,  shall  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby 
adjudged  a  public  nuisance,  and  may  be  abated  by  any  person  summarily  without 
process  of  law,  other  than  the  provibions  of  this  act. 

§  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  owner  or  owners  of  mill  or  other  dams 
which  are  now  erected  across  the  said  Salmon  River,  or  any  branch  or  channel 
thereof,  so  as  to  obstruct  the  usual  course  of  the  Salmon  in  going  up  said  river,  who 
shall  not,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  June,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  fifty,  have  altered  such  dam  by  constructing  an  apron  or  slope  on  the  lower  side 
thereof,  extending  from  the  top  of  said  dam  to  the  bottom  of  the  river  below,  said 
apron  or  slope  to  be  not  less  than  twenty  feet  wide,  with  a  smooth  and  even  sur- 
face, and  sloping  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  with  the  horizon,  and  to  be  loca- 
ted in  or  as  near  to  the  main  channel  of  the  river  as  circumstances  will  permit,  so 
that  Salmon  may  freely  pass  into  the  waters  above  such  dam,  shall  respectively 
forfeit  and  pay  to  the  town  in  which  such  dam  is  located,  the  sum  of  one  hundred 
dollars,  twenty-five  dollars  of  which  to  be  paid  to  the  complainant,  and  the  remain- 
ing sum  of  seventy-five  dollars  to  be  appropriated  to  the  support  of  the  poor  of  such 


//■ 


SALMON. DJS. 


11 


town,  and  to  be  received  by  the  overseer  or  overseers  of  the  poor  thereof,  in  the 
manner  provided  for  in  the  first  section  of  this  act.  And  in  case  such  dam  shall  not 
have  been  so  altered  within  the  time  above-mentioned,  such  dam  shall  be  adjudged 
a  public  nuisance,  and  may  be  abated  in  the  same  manner  as  is  provided  in  the 
second  section  of  this  act.  And  further,  that  any  mill  or  other  dam  which  shall  be 
hereafter  erected  across  said  river,  or  any  branch  or  channel  thereof,  shall  be  con- 
structed with  an  apron  or  slope  as  aforesaid.  And  any  owner  or  owners  of  such 
dam,  which  shall  be  hereafter  constructed  across  said  river  as  aforesaid,  who  shall 
neglect  or  refuse  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  section,  shall  resptctively  for- 
feit the  same  penalty,  to  be  prosecuted  for,  received  and  applied,  as  is  herein  before 
provided  in  this  section. 

§  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  to  fish 
for,  catch,  or  take  Salmon,  while  passing  over  such  aprons  or  slopes,  or  within  the 
distance  of  four  rods  of  said  slopes,  aprons  or  dam ;  And  any  person  oiTending  herein, 
shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  twenty-five  dollars,  to  be  recovered  and  applied  in 
the  manner  provided  for  in  and  by  the  first  section  of  this  act. 

§  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  nothing  contained  in  the  first  three  sections 
of  this  act,  shall  be  so  construed  as  to  prevent  the  fishing  for,  catching,  or  taking 
Salmon  with  a  spear,  in  the  waters  aforesaid,  by  the  owner  or  owners,  lessee  or  les- 
sees, and  their  lawfully  authorized  agents  of  the  lands  over  which  the  waters  of  said 
river  flow,  or  adjoining  the  waters  of  Lake  Ontario  aforesaid. 

§  6.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  this  act  shall  take  effect  on  the  first  day  of 
January,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty. 

A.  L.  Thomason,  Chairman. 

I  earnestly  recommend  the  passage  of  similar  laws  to  this,  by  the 
Legislatures  of  the  various  Eastern  States,  especially  by  that  of  Maine, 
in  reference  to  every  river  eastward,  at  least,  of  the  mouth  of  the  Kcn- 
nebeck,  as  the  only  method  by  which  the  speedily  approaching  extinc- 
tion of  the  Salmon  can  be  prevented. 

I  have  no  doubt,  however,  that  if  the  same  law  were  passed  by  the 
Legislatures  of  Connecticut  and  New  York,  with  regard  to  the  fine 
river  which  gives  name  to  that  first  State,  and  to  the  noble  Hudson, 
coupled  with  an  absolute  prohibition  to  take  or  destroy  the  Salmon  for 
the  space  of  five  years,  that  this,  the  king  of  fishes,  might  be  re-intro- 
duced into  those  waters,  by  the  adoption  of  the  simple  method  des- 
cribed at  page  60  et  sequentes  of  this  volume. 

And  I  take  this  opportunity  of  stating,  that  I  have  good  hope  of  ma- 
king such  arrangements  as  will  enable  me  to  procure,  in  this  coming 
spring,  such  supplies  of  the  Salmon  fry,  in  the  state  which  admits  of 


■J  «f 


^1  'i-^ 
1 P  ■  m 


'^^'•'m 


12 


AMERICAN    FISHE6. 


their  transportation  from  Nova  Scotia,  as  will  suffice  to  establish  the 
possibility  of  the  undertaking.  It  is  my  intention,  should  I  succeed 
in  obtaining  any  support  or  encouragement  from  the  Legislature  of 
New  Jersey,  to  make  the  experiment  in  the  tributaries  of  the  Passaic  ; 
and  should  it  be  successful,  I  can  only  add  that  it  will  give  me  but  too 
much  pleasure  to  assist  any  gentleman  of  spirit  in  procuring  the  means 
of  restocking  any  waters  on  which  they  may  reside,  with  this  most 
game  and  noblest  of  fishes. 


SALMONID£. 


13 


ABDOMINAI. 
MAI.ACOPTERYGU. 


SALMONlOiG. 


THE  BROOK  TROUT. 


THE    COMMON    TKOUT. 


Sttlmo  Fontinalis;  DeKay. 


With  regard  to  this  very  beautiful  and  excellent  fish,  I  have  very 
little  to  add  to  what  is  recorded  in  the  former  part  of  this  volume,  at 
page  86  ei  scq. 

I  have  ascertained,  however,  as  a  fact,  what  I  mentioned  there  as  a 
mere  surmise,  that  in  some  places  and  on  some  occasions  the  Brook 
Trout  of  America  are  taken  of  a  very  much  larger  size  than  is  gene- 
rally imagined. 

At  the  Sault  St.  Marie,  which  I  visited  this  autumn,  although  toj 
late  for  Trout-fishing  in  its  perfection,  the  average  run  of  fish  is  ex- 
ceedingly large ;  as  also  in  the  Garden  River,  which  falls  into  the  St. 
Mary's,  a  few  miles  below  the  beautiful  rapid  I  have  mentioned. 

Three  and  four  pounds  is  by  no  means  an  unusual  weight ;  but  the 
most  important  fact  is  this,  that  some  years  since,  the  commandant  of 
the  United  States'  Fort,  at  the  Sault,  offered  a  reward  to  any  Indian 
who  should  bring  in  a  Brook  Trout  of  ten  pounds''  weight.  The  result 
was,  that  many  were  brought  in  of  six  and  seven  pounds  and  upward, 
and  at  last  one  monster  which  actually  weighed  eleven  pounds  and 
some  ounces. 

There  is  no  question  about  this  fact,  or  of  its  being  actually  a  red- 
spotted  Brook  Trout,  as  distinguished  from  the  Namaycush  or  Siska- 
witz  ;  for  the  whole  affair  originated  from  a  desire  to  investigate  and 
ascertain  the  fact  of  natural  history,  on  the  part  of  the  distinguished 
ofiicer  in  question,  and  the  fish  was  submitted  to  a  thorough  scrutiny 
and  scientific  examination  before  the  premium  was  awarded. 

The  question  may  therefore  be  regarded  as  settled,  that,  in  favorable 
situations  and  peculiar  waters,  the  Brook  Trout  grows  to  a  size  much 
larger  than  is  usually  supposed  to  be  its  utmost  limit,  possibly  even  up 


m 


wm 


m 


14 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


to  fifteeu  or  twenty  pounds,  though  the  average  of  the  fish  is  undenia- 
bly below  a  pound. 

There  can,  I  am  now  satisfied,  be  no  doubt  that  the  very  large  red- 
spotted  fish  described  by  Dr.  Smith,  under  the  title  of  Ilucho,  as  ex- 
isting in  many  of  the  lakes  of  New  England,  is  nothing  more,  as  I 
surmised  in  the  first  instance,  than  an  enormous  and  overgrown  Brook 
Trout,  very  large  specimens  of  which  are  constantly  brought  into  the 
Boston  markets  from  the  interior  of  New  Hampshire.  The  wonderful 
effect  of  diflFcrcnt  waters  on  the  growth,  coloring  and  flavor  of  fish  has 
been  already  mentioned  ;  and  I  shall  have  yet  more  to  say  on  this  sub- 
ject when  I  come  to  speak  of  the  Lake  Trout. 

I  will  only  here  farther  observe,  that  on  recent  information  from  an 
undoubted  authority,  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  I  have  overestima- 
ted the  average  weight  of  the  Brook  Trout  taken  in  Carman's  Creek 
on  Long  Island ;  a  very  highly  accomplished  angler,  who  fishes  those 
waters  constantly,  having  assured  me  that  the  average  is  not  now  above 
three-fourths  of  a  pound.  There  is  no  question,  that  in  waters  so 
assiduously  whipped  as  thrse  of  Long  Island,  not  only  the  number  but 
the  size  of  Trout  must  necessarily  decrease.  For  farther  instruction 
on  Fly-fishing,  &c.,  I  must  now  refer  ray  reader  to  the  Second  Part  of 
this  Supplement,  where  he  vvill  find,  I  trust,  all  that  may  be  necessary 
to  supply  what  was  omitted  above,  both  as  regards  doctrine  and  prac- 
tice, art  and  implements,  necessary  for  the  gentle  craft. 


SALMONIDJE. 


15 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTEUVGir. 


SALMONlDiE. 


THE  GREATEST  LAKE  TROUT. 

MACKINAW    SALMON — NAMAYCUSH. 
Salmo  Amethyatua;  Mitchil,  DeKay. — Salmo  Namaycush;  Pennant,  RichardsoHi 

Of  this  fish — concerning  which,  in  the  body  of  the  work,  I  wrote 
chiefly  on  the  report  of  others — in  the  course  of  a  recent  tour  to  the 
upper  lakes,  I  had  ample  opportunities  of  judging.  I  saw  certainly 
hundreds  of  specimens,  none  below  seventeen  or  eighteen  pounds 
weight,  and  many  up  to  forty  and  forty-five.  They  are  so  abundant 
on  Lake  Huron  that  the  Indians  sell  them  willingly  for  a  quarter  of  a 
dollar  each,  without  reference  to  size. 

The  flesh  of  this  fish,  as  an  article  of  food,  is  exceedingly  bad  ;  it 
is  coarse,  flabby,  and  at  once  rank  and  vapid,  when  fresh,  if  such  a 
combination  can  be  imagined.  On  one  occasion,  a  very  large  fish  of 
this  species  having  been  served  up  boiled  one  day,  and  pronounced, 
by  a  large  party  of  good  epicurean  judges,  less  than  indifferent,  a  por- 
tion was  dressed  cold  on  the  following  day  with  salad,  and  was  so 
insufferably  rank,  that  it  was  incontinently  sent  from  the  table  as  un- 
eatable. 

When  salted  and  smoked,  or  preserved  in  salt  pickle,  it  is  somewhat 
better,  though  not  at  all  equal  to  its  sister  fish  the  Siskawitz. 

I  should  be  willing  to  assert  that  the  average  of  this  great  fish  is  fully 
up  to  twenty  pounds.  I  will  here  add,  that  I  have  reason  to  believe 
that  the  opinion  hazarded  on  report  of  others,  that  the  Great  Macki- 
naw Trout  is  the  liveliest  of  his  species,  is  entirely  erroneous ;  and  that, 
from  all  the  inquiries  I  made  among  Indians,  hunters,  and  scientific 
anglers  on  the  lake,  I  am  inclined  to  disbelieve  that  this  or  the  next 
described  fish  can  be  taken  either  with  the  fly  or  the  spinning-minnow 
in  trolling.  If  ever  they  are  taken  in  either  of  these  modes,  or  with 
the  spoon  or  squid,  it  is  contrary  to  their  usual  habit ;  and  may  be  con- 
sidered a  freak  of  the  fish,  and  one  of  so  rare  occurrence  as  to  render 


V 
..     ■•■■I' 


li 


fa 

1 


-  'IS 
■   M 


16 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


it  a  very  unprofitable  attempt  for  the  angler  to  fish  for  them  by  any 
of  these  modes. 

A  coarse,  heavy^  stiff  rod — a  long  and  powerful  oiled  hempen  or 
flaxen  line — on  a  large  winch,  with  a  heavy  sinker,  a  cod-hook  baited 
with  any  kind  of  flesh,  fish,  or  fowl — but,  best  of  all,  with  a  piece  of  the 
belly  of  its  own  species,  is  the  most  successful  if  not  the  most  orthodox 
or  scientific  modo  of  capturing  him. 

Its  great  size  and  immense  strength  alone  give  him  value  as  a  fish 
of  game  ;  but  when  hooked,  he  pulls  strongly  and  fights  hard,  though 
he  is  a  boring  deep  fighter,  and  I  think  never  leaps  out  of  water,  like 
the  True  Salmon  or  the  Brook  Trout. 


SALMONIDA. 


17 


ABDOMINAL 
UALACOPTERYGII, 


SALMONIOiE. 


THE    SISKAWITZ. 


NORTHERN    LAKE    TROUT. 


Salmo  Sialeawitz ;  Agassiz. 

This  fish,  like  the  former  species,  came  frequently  under  my  eye 
during  my  late  northern  tour ;  and  I  rejoice  in  the  possession  of  a 
barrel  of  him  in  his  pickled  state,  which  I  procured  at  the  Sault  St. 
Marie,  on  the  strength  of  which  I  can  recommend  him  to  all  lovers  of 
good  eating  as  the  very  best  salt  fish  that  exists  in  the  world. 

He  is  so  fat  and  rich,  that  when  eaten  fresh  he  is  insufiferably  rank 
and  oily ;  but  when  salted  and  broiled,  after  being  steeped  for  forty' 
eight  hours  in  cold  water,  he  is  not  surpassed  or  equalled  by  any  fish 
with  which  I  am  acquainted. 

Since  my  return,  he  has  been  tasted  by  very  many  gentlemen  of  my 
acquaintances,  and  by  no  one  of  them  has  he  been  pronounced  any- 
thing less  than  superlative. 

His  habits  closely  resemble  those  of  the  Namaycush  ;  and  like  him 
I  cannot  learn  that  he  ever  takes  the  fly,  or  is  ever  taken  by  trolling. 
I  do  not,  however,  believe  that  either  of  these  methods  are  often  re- 
sorted to  for  his  capture,  although  there  are  many  scientific  fly-fishers 
about  the  Sault,  and  the  Brook  Trout  of  those  waters  are  principally 
taken  with  large  and  gaudy  lake-flies. 

The  average  weight  of  the  Siskawitz  does  not  exceed  four  or  five 
pounds,  though  he  is  taken  up  to  seventeen.  His  excellence  is  so  per- 
fectly understood  and  acknowledged  in  the  Lake  Country,  that  he 
fetches  double  the  price  per  barrel  of  his  coarser  big  brother,  the 
Namaycush ;  and  he  is  so  greedily  sought  for  there,  that  it  is  difficult 
to  procure  him  even  at  Detroit,  and  almost  impossible  at  Buffalo. 

1  believe  none  were  ever  brought  to  New  York,  previously  to  the  bar- 
rel which  I  brought  down  with  me  from  the  Sault.  I  am  now  able  to 
supply,  from  personal  inspection,  what  I  was  compelled  unavoidably  to 


ir  y 


mi 


•It 


■| 


Mi 

mi 
tm 


In 


■mm 


16 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


omit  above,  the  number  of  rays  in  the  various  fins.  They  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

First  dorsal  twelve  branched  rays,  second  dorsal  adipose,  pectorals 
fifteen,  ventrals  ten,  anal  nine,  and  caudal  twenty-one  perfect,  besides 
several  rudimental  branched  rays ;  in  all  of  which  it  differs  from  the 
Namaycush.  It  is,  I  think,  on  the  whole,  a  bluer  and  less  distinctly 
spotted  fish  than  the  Namaycush. 

As  a  sporting  fish,  it  is,  I  am  of  opinion,  of  small  value  ;  but  as  au 
article  of  cuisine — he  is  valuable,  or  rather,  and  that  not  hyperboli- 
cally,  invaluable. 


SALMONID£. 


19 


ABDOMINATi 
MALACOPTERVGII. 


SAIiMONin.i; 


THE  LAKE  TROUT. 

Salmo  Confinia;  DeKay. 

Concerning  no  fish  have  I  seen  occasion  so  greatly  to  alter  my  ex- 
pressed opinions — founded  chiefly  on  the  opinions  of  others,  and,  where 
original,  formed  from  examination  of  fish  taken  in  the  waters  of  the 
Eastern  States,  and  in  Lakes  George  and  Champlain,  in  none  of  which 
is  it  either  a  game  fish,  or  in  my  opinion  a  good  fish. 

I  still  doubt  greatly  whether  there  be  not  two  distinct  species  of 
Lake  Trout,  one  quite  peculiar  to  the  small  lakes  of  New  York.  Cer- 
tainly 1  never  saw  or  tasted  any  Lake  Trout  similar  in  appearance,  or 
equal  in  flesh  and  flavor,  to  those  which  I  ate  at  Geneva,  and  which 
were  subsequently  sent  down  to  mo  in  ice,  by  my  friend  Mr.  Mande- 
ville,  of  that  city. 

Tlie  description  of  these  fish  exactly  tallies  with  the  account  ot  the 
red-fleshed  Lake  Trout  of  Hamilton  county,  where  I  have  never  fished, 
being  deterred  therefrom  by  dread  of  that  curse  of  the  summer  angler, 
the  black  fly,  which  is  to  me  especially  venomous. 

A  letter  which  I  insert  below,  from  a  capital  angler,  who  has  caught 
this  fish  in  the  far-famed  Louis  Lake,  agrees  exactly  with  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  Seneca  Lake  Trout,  but  not  with  his  habits;  as  I  have 
the  best  authority  for  stating  that  in  Soncca  Lake  they  are  never  taken 
either  by  the  fly  or  by  trolling;  although  in  Crooked  Lake,  immedi- 
ately adjoining  it,  they  are  constantly  caught  by  trolling  for  them 
"  with  shiners  strung  upon  the  hook,  and  drawn  head  foremost,  with 
a  hook  leaded  to  sink  twenty  to  thirty  feet." 

In  Seneca  Like  they  are  taken  on  set  lines,  varying  in  depth  from 
twenty-five  to  i\  ur  hundred  feet,  concerning  which  method  more  under 
the  head  of  Lake  Fishing. 

The  following  is  an  accurate  description  of  one  of  the  fish  sent  to 
lue  from  Seneca  Lake.     It  diff'ers,  as  will  be  seen,  in  many  respects, 


T' 


■*M 


ill 


20 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


of  structure,  shape,  and  color,  from  the  account  quoted  at  pa,<Tj  117, 
from  Dr.  DeKuy's  Fauna  of  New  York — almost  widely  enough,  in  my 
opinion,  to  justify  its  erection  into  a  separate  species: 

Dental  system. — A  double  row  of  strong  hooked  teeth  on  the  labials 
and  palatines  of  the  upper  jaw.  The  vomer  perfectly  smooth  and 
toothless.  In  the  lower  jaw,  a  single  row  of  strong  hooked  teeth  on 
the  labials,  and  a  double  row  of  siaaller  size  on  the  tongue. 

Brancliiostegous  rays,  eleven  on  the  right  side,  thirteen  on  the  left. 

Pectoral  fin-rays  sixteen,  ventral  ten,  anal  twelve,  dorsal  thiitccu, 
caudal  twenty-seven. 

In  all  those  respects  it  differs  from  DeKay's  Sahnn  Confinis. 
Whole  length,  nineteen  and  a  half  inches.  Head,  four  inches  to  the 
lower  margin  of  the  interoperculum.  Kye,  one  inch  and  o  half  from 
tip  of  snout.  Ori;j;in  of  the  ventral  fin,  nine  inches  and  a  quarter  ;  of 
the  anal,  thirteen  ;  of  first  dorsal,  eight  and  a  half;  of  the  second  dor- 
sal, fourteen,  from  the  tip  of  the  snout. 

Depth  of  the  fish  at  the  origin  of  first  dorsal,  three  inches  and  three- 
fifths  ;  breadth  of  back  two  inches. 

Curvature  of  the  bidly  greater  than  that  of  the  dor.sal  outline.  Color 
of  the  head  dark  bluish  black.  Iridos  silvtry,  gill-covers  silvery  with 
nacrous  reflections.  Back  and  sides,  above  the  lateral  line,  beautiful 
glossy  cacrulean  blue,  mottled  with  bright  silvery  spots  of  the  size  of 
large  duck-shot ;  below  the  lateral  line  the  silvery  spots  are  larger,  and 
the  ground  lighter  blue  ;  belly  pure  silver. 

Pectoral  fins  pale  yellowi,sh  green,  vontrals  and  anal  greenish,  very 
faintly  tinged  with  red.  First  dorsal  greenish  transparent,  veined  with 
black ;  second  dorsal  silvery  grey,  slightly  mottled  ;  caudal  greenish 
grey,  mottled  with  black. 

A  very  beautifully  formed  fish,  more  tapering  than  the  Namaycush 
or  Siskawitz,  with  the  small  head,  and  much  both  of  the  form  and 
lustre  of  the  True  Sea  Salmon. 

Flesh  rich  orange  buff,  very  firm,  highly  flavored  and  delicate.  This 
fish,  and  another  rather  larger,  but  otherwise  exactly  agreeing  with 
this,  were  eaten  at  my  table  by  a  party  of  six  gentlemen,  as  good 
judges  of  good  eating  as  any  with  whom  I  am  acquainted,  and  were 
unanimously  pronounced  Idfcr  t/inn  Brook  Trout !  better  than  Truz 
Salmon!  the  best  fish  in  the  world! 


Ills 

rilh 

ere 
rue 


SALMONID.i:.  9 

Sinjiularly  enough,  at  tho  very  time  that  my  opinion  was  beconting 
changed  ^vitl^  regard  to  this — I  now  think  ercelknt  fish,  I  received  a 
long  and  most  kind  letter  fl'om  tho  accomplished  fisherman  to  whom  I 
had  applied  for  information  in  regard  to  Hamilton  county  fishing,  dif- 
fering from  the  opinion  given  in  tho  bulk  of  this  volume,  which  I  had 
jus*  before  discovered  to  bo  faulty. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  laying  this  verbatim  before  my  readers,  as  I 
have  no  doubt  it  is  thoroughly  correct  in  all  respects,  both  as  to  the 
habits  and  quality  of  the  Hamilton  county  Lake  Trout,  with  which  I 
am  satisfied  that  the  Lake  Seneca  variety  is  identical ;  the  variation 
in  the  habits  of  the  fish  in  the  difTcrcnt  localities  being  ascribabh;  to 
the  different  (jualities  of  the  water  which  they  inhabit. 

The  average  Avt-ight  of  the  Lake  Trout  in  Seneca  Lake  is  much  as 
is  stated  by  my  kind  correspondent— that  is  to  say,  under /o«r  pounds, 
and  they  very  rarely  exceed  seven. 

This  letter  was  written  at  my  request,  for  tho  purpose  of  pointing 
out,  commenting  upon,  and  correcting  any  errors  of  omission  or  com- 
mission which  he  had  discovered  in  my  work ;  and  I  can  only  express 
myself  equally  obliged  by  the  candor  and  kindness  of  the  criticism. 

Had  I  permission  to  give  the  name  of  tho  writer,  I  am  well  aware 
that  in  every  angler's  opinion  it  would  add  immensely  to  the  value  of 
his  remarks  as  authority  ;  but  it  will  sufiice  that  I  should  assert  that 
he  is,  of  my  own  knowledge,  one  of  the  best  fly-fishers  in  the  United 
States. 

ORIGINAL  COMMUNICATION  ON  THE  LAKE  TROUT. 

"  The  average  weight  is  eight  or  ten  pounds." 

This  is  an  extract  from  the  New  York  Fauna  of  Dr.  DeKay.  Now, 
I  venture  to  assert  that  Dr.  DeKay  never  wet  a  line  in  the  waters  of 
Hamilton  county,  and  that  "  the  propensity  to  exaggeration  in  every- 
thing in  relation  to  aquatic  animals,"  induced  his  informant  to  make 
the  above  statement.  I  boldly  assert  that  the  average  weight  of  Lake 
Trout  is  not  four  pounds. 

An  eight  or  ten  pound  fish  is  considered  an  unusually  heavy  fish.  1 
will  give  you  my  experience.  In  May,  184S,  I  spent  eleven  days  in 
Hamilton  county,  in  company  with  a  friend,  and  that  friend  an  old 
Hamilton  county  troUer.       We  faithfully  fished  in  I^ake  Pleasant, 


'^♦t 


f    ■If 


M 


1 


m 


'^m 

♦! 

iCl 

\  « 


AMERICAN    FI81IICS. 


Round  Lake,  and  tho  fur-fuiiicd  LouiH  Lake.  Wo  killed  about  two 
hundred  poundw'  weight  of  fish.  I  killed  one  of  sixteen,  pounds,  one 
of  nine  pound.s  and  a  quartor,  and  two  of  five  pounds  each.  My  friend 
did  not  kill  a  single  fi^^h  heavier  than  three  pounds  and  three  <{uarterH, 
neither  did  l,navo  those  just  mentioned;  and  I  would  mid  do  wiy,  that 
our  fish  did  not  average  three  pounds,  tho  great  niajuiity  being  two 
pounders. 

At  the  same  time  two  friends  fished  Pisoco  Lake  and  Rackett  Lake  ; 
the  heaviest  fi.sh  killed  by  them  was  eleven  pounds;  and  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  they  took  another  of  greater  weight  than  four  pounds ;  at  all 
events,  we  beat  them  all  to  smash  in  weight  and  number.  So  nmch 
for  tho  average  weight. 

The  wholesale  assertion  on  your  118th  page,  that  they  never  rise  to 
the  fly,  should  be  qualified.  It  is  not  correct  that  they  ^^  never  ri.so  to 
the  fly."     They  frequently  do. 

The  nine  pound  and  a  quarter  Lake  Trout  above  referred  to,  was 
killed  by  nie  with  an  artificial  fly.  The  facts  arc  these  : — On  the  28th 
of  May,  1848,  I  was  fishing  on  Louis  Lake.  I  was  using  a  trolling- 
rod  and  a  small  Trout-rod,  casting  with  one  and  trolling  with  the  other. 
Upon  my  trolling-leader  1  had  two  flies ;  and  when  my  oarsman  was  in 
the  act  of  pulling  round  a  projecting  elbow  of  wood,  I  reeled  up,  to 
avoid  contact  with  a  fallen  tree,  and  just  as  my  first  fly  trailed  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  the  fish  broke  or  rather  dashed  at  it ;  I  struck 
him  instantly,  and  away  ho  went,  with  so  nmch  velocity  that  I  had 
hard  work  to  keep  my  line  from  overrunning,  not  having  a  click-reel ; 
1  fortunately  thumbed  the  reel,  and  passed  my  Trout-rod  to  tho  oars- 
man, and  then  had  fair  play ;  and  I  assure  you  I  never  had  hold  of  a 
fish  of  tho  same  size,  that  showed  more  game,  power  or  endurance.  He 
never  sulked  for  an  instant ;  and  the  only  difference  which  I  could 
discover  in  his  mode  of  action  from  a  Salmon,  was  that  after  being 
struck,  he  did  not  show  himself,  or  leap.  Had  I  hooked  this  fish  with 
my  light  rod,  I  would  not  have  killed  him  under  an  hour  ;  and,  indeed 
as  it  was,  he  was  not  "  half  gone  "  when  Cowlcs,  my  guide,  put  the 
gaff"  into  him.  This  fish  rose  in  about  eight  feet  water,  and  took  mo 
twenty-five  minutes  to  kill  him  ;  and  I  never  worked  harder  in  my  life 
to  secure  a  fish,  for  you  may  imagine  that  I  was  anxious  to  secure  a 
Lake  Trout,  hooked  as  I  have  described. 


8almonid;e. 


23 


On  tho  Manio  paj^o,  you  quoto  from  Dr.  DoKay,  that  this  Trout  has 
"  thu  OimrnorioHH  of  tho  llulibut,  without  its  flavor  ;"  and  subBcqucntly 
iiHHurt,  UH  your  own  oiiinion,  '*  that  thin  Ih  tho  mo.st  worthless  of  all  tho 
non-Miif^ratory  upDolcM."  I  think  that  you  aro  niistakon — my  reasons 
proHontly.  On  pa^^n  27'1  to  27({,  you  also  uso  tho  following  cxpros- 
sions:  "Tluwo  groat,  bad  and  unsporting  fish,"  &c.,  "with  a  bullet  at 
tho  end  of  two  hundred  yards  of  line,  run  rapidly  through  tho  wa- 
ter."    "  Ho  is  very  indifferent  eating." 

I  disagree  with  you.  "  I'iVery  man  to  his  taste."  "What's  one 
man's  meat  is  another  man's  poison."  I  prefer  a  Lake  Trout  to  the 
best  Hrook  'i'rout — doii't  Itiugh !  Now  for  my  proof.  To  my  know- 
ledge, l^ake  'I'rout  aro  preferred  at  John  C.  Holmes',  the  proprietor 
of  Lake  Pleasant  I  louse,  to  anything  you  can  lay  on  the  table.  The 
nine  pound  and  a  cpiarter  Trout  to  which  I  have  before  alluded,  was 
oaten  in  this  city,  at  the  hou:'<i)  of  a  mutual  friend  of  ours,  and  was  de- 
clared to  bo  a  glorious  morsel.  The  sixteen  pound  and  a  half  Trout 
was  eaten  at  n  friend's  house  in  Ikoadway;  seventeen  persons,  myself 
among  them,  partook  of  it,  and  I  never  heard  anything  surpass  tho 
praise  of  all ;  and  for  myself,  let  mo  say,  that  I  never  tasted  a  finer 
lish.  He  was  boiled  and  eaten  with  plain  drawn  butter,  or  as  housc- 
koopers  and  cooks  call  it,  1  believe,  "  parsley  and  butter  ;"  and  during 
my  sojourn  in  the  woods,  my  friend  and  myself  invariably  prelt^rred 
and  had  the  small  I^ake  'i'rout  cooked  by  our  guides.  If  it  bo  "  very 
indifferent  eating,"  then  I  am  easily  pleased,  and  every  person  with 
whom  I  have  spoken  on  the  sul»jeet  are  no  judges  offish  flesh. 

Have  you  HsIkmI  for  Lake  Trout  in  Hamilton  county.'  I  presume 
not,  for  most  assuredly  you  labor  under  a  mistake  as  to  tho  "  modus 
operandi.^* 

Your  instruction  on  lines,  9,  10,  11,  page  274,  is  incorrect,  and 
tands  to  lead  the  novioe  astray.  Our  friend  of  the  "  Spirit  "  is  much 
nearer  tho  mark,  but  the  instruction  is  defective,  as  you  have  quotod 
it.  I  believe  that  no  portion  of  your  work  was  more  anxiously  looked 
for,  than  your  vii;\vs,  direction  and  instruction  upon  fishing  for  Lake 
Trout.  Hamilton  c(»unty  is  becoming  known  ;  and  as  tho  majority  of 
anglers  never  can  and  luiver  will  bo  "  fly-fishers,"  trolling  for  Lake 
Trout  is  destined  to  be  the  prevailing  mode  of  fishing  in  that  county 
of  great  waters.     Now,  I  propose  to  give  you  a  description  of  the  true, 


m 


ii'f.  f 


■'.B 


I: '; 


f..;i? 


r  if 


24 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


and  proper  lackle  for  this  branch  of  angling,  which  is,  by  all  odds, 
second  only  to  casting  the  fly ;  and  a  description  of  which  has  not,  as 
far  as  I  know,  ever  been  published  in  any  work  on  angling. 


This  excellent  treatise  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Lake  Trout 
Fishing ;  and  herewith,  for  the  present,  I  quit  the  Lake  Trout. 


SALMONIDiE 


25 


ARDOMINAL 
MALACOPTEUYOII. 


SALMONIDit:. 


THE  SALMON  TROUT. 

SEA    TROUT WHITE    TROUT. 

Salmo  Trutta ;  Yarrel. 

When  speaking  of  this  beautiful  fish — which,  by  the  aid  of  my  friend 
Mr.  Perley,  of  the  city  of  St.  John,  I  have  been  enabled  fully  to  estab- 
lish for  the  first  time  as  an  unquestionable  inhabitant  of  our  waters — 
I  mentioned,  on  page  277,  the  singular  fact  that  this  fish,  although  it 
enters  every  river  and  estuary  on  the  eastern  side  of  Nova  Scotia,  and 
runs  up  so  far  as  the  meeting  of  the  tidal  and  fresh  waters,  does  not 
run  up  into  the  shoals,  or  spawn  in  the  gravel  beds  of  any  of  those 
rivers. 

While  commenting  on  that  fact,  I  stated  that  it  would  appear  to 
indicate  a  variation  in  this  species  from  one  of  the  normal  habits  of  the 
race — that  of  running  up  into  aerated  waters,  in  order  to  spawn. 

This,  it  now  seems,  was  founded  on  an  erroneous  interpretation  of 
the  fact,  which  is,  that  the  Salmon  Trout,  which  does  run  up  into 
fresh  shallow  streams,  in  order  to  spawn,  on  the  Eastern  Continent, 
does  not  breed  with  us  at  all  on  the  Atlantic  coasts  of  America,  though 
it  will  probably  be  found  to  do  so  in  the  waters  which  fall  into  the  Pa- 
cific, as  the  Columbia,  Sacramento,  and  other  rivers  in  which,  as  I 
learn  from  returned  Californians,  it  literally  swarms 

The  Salmon  Trout  in  our  north-eastern  waters  is  merely  a  transient 
and  very  rapacious  visitor,  pursuing  the  vast  shoals  of  smelts  which 
run  into  all  those  rivers,  and  hunting  them  with  unwenried  activity 
and  ferocity,  until  they  escape  above  his  reach  into  the  swift  and 
shallow  fresh  waters,  into  which  he  docs  not  socm  to  pursue  them 
After  their  escape,  he  returns  at  once  into  the  outer  bays  and  larger 
estuaries,  where  he  is  taken,  as  I  have  before  described,  with  the  scar- 
let ibis  fly. 

The  pursuit  of  the  smelt  by  this  fish  indicates  the  propriety  of  spin- 


m 


m 


1  «,;■;',  p 


m 


I'l 


" '"  n 


■  r^ 


26 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


ning  for  him  with  that  bait,  in  the  proper  localities,  in  case  of  his 
refusing  the  fly,  especially  when  the  smelts  are  becoming  rare. 

Mr.  Perley,  from  whom  I  derive  the  above  valuable  information, 
assures  me  that  he  was  very  successful  last  spring  in  taking  smelt  with 
a  very  small  scarlet  ibis  and  gold  tinsel  fly.  They  rise  constantly,  he 
says,  leaping  quite  out  of  the  water  at  their  favorite  bait. 

I  propose  to  try  this  sport  in  the  Passaic,  in  the  coming  spring ; 
and  in  default  of  other  fly-fishing,  doubt  not  to  find  it  good  fun. 


SALMONIDiE. 


27 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONIDiE. 


THE  SALMON  OF  THE  PACIFIC  WATERS. 


As  these  varieties  are  now  falling  within  the  notice  of  American 
citizens,  and  furnishing  both  food  and  sport  to  the  bold  and  hardy 
pioneers  of  civilization  who  are  resorting  in  such  numbers  to  the  El 
Dorado  of  the  Far  West,  I  quote  from  Richardson's  Fauna  Boreali 
Americana  the  following  lively  description  of  their  structure,  species 
and  habits : 

"  In  the  paucity  of  our  information  respecting  the  fish  of  New  Cale- 
donia, the  following  notices,  collected  from  the  Journal  of  Mr.  D.  VV. 
Harmon,  a  partner  of  the  North-West  Company,  are  valuable.  This 
gentleman  resided  for  several  years  at  a  fur-post  on  Stuart's  Lake, 
which  lies  in  the  55th  parallel  of  latitude,  and  125th  degree  of  longi- 
tude, and  which  discharges  its  waters  by  a  stream,  named  also  Stuart, 
into  Frazer's  River,  that  falls  into  the  Strait  of  Juan  da  Fuca.  As 
his  remarks  upon  fish  relate  chiefly  to  the  Salmon  tribe,  this  appears 
to  be  the  most  appropriate  place  for  their  insertion. 

" '  1811.  May  11. — Stuart's  Lake.  The  ice  in  the  lake  broke  up 
this  afternoon.  22.  We  now  take  Trout  in  the  lake,  with  set  lines 
and  hooks,  in  considerable  numbers,  but  they  are  not  of  a  good  kind. 
It  is  perhaps  a  little  remarkable,  that  Pike  or  Pickerel  have  never 
been  found  in  any  of  the  lakes  and  rivers  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

"  ''August  2.  It  is  impossible  at  this  season  to  take  fish  out  of  this 
lake  or  river.  Unless  the  Salmon  from  the  sea  soon  make  their  ap- 
pearance, our  condition  will  be  deplorable.  10.  Sent  all  our  pr^ople 
to  a  small  lake  about  twelve  miles  off,  out  of  which  the  natives  take 
small  fish,  much  resembling  Salmon  in  shape  and  flavor,  but  not  more 
than  six  inches  long.  They  are  said  to  be  very  palatable.  22.  One 
of  the  natives  has  caught  a  Salmon,  which  is  joyful  intelligonco  to  us 
all,  for  wc  hope  and  expect  in  a  few  days  to  have  abundance.     Thcs9 


■•i'-,-i, 


.V 

if, 


'm 


''til 
m 


1  ■  i 


38 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


fish  visit,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  all  the  rivers  in  this  region,  and 
form  the  principal  dependence  of  the  inhabitants  as  the  moans  of  sub- 
sistence. The  natives  always  make  a  feast  to  express  their  joy  at  the 
arrival  of  the  Salmon.  The  person  who  sees  the  first  one  in  the  river 
exclaims,  Td-loe  naslay  !  ta-loe  naslay!  Salmon  have  arrived!  Salmon 
have  arrived !  The  exclamation  is  caught  up  with  joy,  and  repeatfid 
with  animation  by  every  body  in  the  village. 

"  '■September  2.  We  have  now  the  common  Salmon  in  abundance. 
They  weigh  from  five  to  seven  pounds.  There  are  also  a  few  of  a 
larger  kind,  which  will  weigh  sixty  or  seventy  pounds.  Both  of  them 
are  very  good  when  just  taken  out  of  the  water  ;  but  when  dried,  as 
they  are  by  the  Indians  here  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  or  in  the  smoke  of 
a  fire,  they  are  not  very  palatable.  When  salted,  they  arc  excellent. 
As  soon  as  the  Salmon  come  into  Stuart's  Lake,  they  go  in  search  of 
the  rivers  and  brooks  that  fall  into  it,  and  these  streams  they  ascend 
so  far  as  there  is  water  to  enable  them  to  swim ;  and  when  they  can 
proceed  no  farther  up,  they  remain  there  and  die.  None  were  ever 
seen  to  descend  these  streams.  They  are  found  dead  in  such  num- 
bers, in  some  places,  as  to  infect  the  atmosphere  with  a  terrible  stench, 
for  a  considerable  distance  round.  But  even  when  they  are  in  a  putrid 
state,  the  natives  frequently  gather  them  up  and  eat  them,  apparently 
with  the  same  relish  as  if  they  were  fresh. 

'■'■^October  21.  We  have  now  in  our  store  twenty-five  thousand 
Salmon.  Four  in  a  day  are  allowed  to  each  man.  I  have  sent  some 
of  our  people  to  take  White  Fish,  Attihawmeg. 

^''^  November  16.  Our  fishermen  have  returned  to  the  fort,  and  in- 
form me  that  they  have  taken  seven  thousand  White  Fish.  They 
weigh  from  three  to  four  pounds,  and  were  taken  in  nine  nets  of  sixty 
fathoms  each.     17.  The  lake  froze  over  in  the  night. 

"'  1812.  January  30.  I  have  returned  from  visiting  five  villages 
of  the  Nateotains,  built  on  a  lake  of  that  name,  which  gives  origin  to 
a  river  that  falls  into  Gardner's  Inlet.  They  contain  about  two  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  who  subsist  principally  on  Salmon  and  other  small 
fish,  and  are  all  well  made  and  robust.  The  Salmon  of  Lake  Nateo- 
tain  have  small  scales,  while  those  of  Stuart's  Lake  have  none. 

"  '  May  23. — Stuart's  Lake.  This  morning  the  natives  caught  n 
Sturgeon  that  would  weigh  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.     We 


SALMONIDiE. 


29 


frequently  sec  much  larger  ones,  which  we  cannot  take  for  want  of 
nets  sufficiantly  strong  to  hold  them. 

"  ^August  15.  Salmon  begin  to  come  up  the  river.  Few  Salmon 
came  up  Stuart's  River  this  fall,  but  we  procured  a  sufficient  quantity 
at  Frazor's  Lake  and  Stillas.  These  lakes  discharge  their  waters  into 
Frazer's  River,  which  is  about  fifty  rods  wide,  and  has  a  preHy  strong 
curreftt.  The  natives  pass  the  greater  part  of  the  summer  on  a  chain 
of  small  lakes,  whore  they  procure  excellent  White  Fish,  Trout,  and 
Carp  ;  but  towards  the  latter  part  of  August  they  return  To  the  banks 
of  the  river,  in  order  to  take  and  dry  Salmon  for  their  subsistence 
during  the  succeeding  winter. 

"  '  1813.  August  12.     Salmon  have  arrived. 

"  '  1814.  August  5.  Salmon  begin  to  come  up  the  river.  They  are 
generally  taken  in  considerable  numbers  until  the  latter  part  of  Sep- 
tember. For  a  month  they  come  up  in  multitudes,  and  we  can  take 
any  number  we  please. 

"  '  September  20.  We  have  had  but  few  Salmon  this  year.  It  is 
only  every  second  season  that  they  are  numerous,  the  reason  of  which 
I  am  unable  to  assign. 

"  '  1815.  August  13. — Frazer's  Lake.  Salmon  begin  to  come  up 
the  river,  which  lights  up  joy  in  the  countenances  both  of  ourselven 
and  of  the  natives,  for  we  had  all  become  nearly  destitute  of  provisions 

"  '  1816.  September  9.     Salmon  begin  to  come  up  this  river. 

*' '  1817.  August  6. — Stuart's  Lake.  Salmon  arrived.  In  the 
month  of  June,  we  took  out  of  this  lake  twenty-one  Sturgeon,  that 
were  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  in  length.  One  of  them  measurcl 
twelve  feet  two  inches  from  its  extreme  points,  four  feet  eleven  inch.;, 
round  the  middle,  and  would  weigh  from  five  hundred  and  fifty  to  six 
hundred  pounds. 

"  '  The  Carrier  Indians  reside  a  part  of  the  year  in  villages,  built  at 
convenient  places  for  taking  and  drying  Salmon,  as  they  come  up  the 
rivers.  These  fish  they  take  in  abundance  with  little  labor  j  and  they 
constitute  their  principal  food  during  the  whole  year.  They  are  not 
very  unpalatable  when  eaten  alone,  and  with  vegetables  they  are  very 
pleasant  food.  Towards  the  middle  of  April,  and  sometimes  sooner, 
the  natives  leave  their  villages,  to  go  and  pass  about  two  months  at 
the  small  lakes,  from  which,  at  that  season,  they  take  White  Fish, 


{■'m 


i.n 


\  I 


w 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


Trout,  Carp,  &c.,  in  considerable  numbers.  But  when  these  begin  tc 
fail,  they  return  to  their  villages  and  subsist  on  the  small  fish  which 
they  dried  at  the  lakes,  or  on  Salmon,  should  they  have  been  so  pro- 
vident as  to  have  kept  any  until  that  late  season ;  or  they  cat  herbs, 
the  inner  bark  or  sap  of  the  cypress  tree,  (pimis  Banfcsiava,)  berries, 
&c.  At  this  season,  few  fish  of  any  kind  are  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
lakes  or  rivers  of  New  Caledonia.  In  this  manner  the  natives  barely 
subsist,  until  about  the  middle  of  August,  when  Salmon  again  begin  to 
make  their  appearance  in  all  the  rivers  of  any  considerable  magnitude  ; 
and  they  have  them  at  most  of  their  villages  in  plenty  until  the  latter 
end  of  September,  or  the  beginning  of  October.  For  about  a  month 
they  come  up  in  crowds,  and  the  noses  of  some  of  them  are  either 
worn  or  rotted  oflF,  and  the  eyes  of  others  have  perished  in  their  heads ; 
yet  in  this  maimed  condition  they  are  surprisingly  alert  in  coming  up 
rapids.  These  maimed  fishes  are  generally  at  the  head  of  large  bands, 
on  account  of  which  the  natives  call  them  mce-oo-tees,  or  chiefs.  The 
Indians  say  that  they  have  suiFered  these  disasters  by  falling  back 
among  the  stones,  when  coming  up  difiicult  places  in  the  rapids  which 
they  pass.  The  Carriers  take  Salmon  in  the  following  manner.  All 
the  Indians  of  the  village  assist  in  making  a  dam  across  the  river,  in 
which  they  occasionally  leave  places  to  insert  their  baskets  or  nets  of 
wicker-work.  These  baskets  are  generally  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
feet  in  length,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  iu  circumference.  The 
end  at  which  the  Salmon  enter  is  made  with  twigs  in  the  form  of  the 
entrance  of  a  wire  mouse-trap.  When  four  or  five  hundred  Salmon 
have  entered  this  basket,  they  either  take  it  to  the  shore  to  empty  out 
the  fish,  or  they  take  them  out  at  a  door  in  the  top,  and  transport  them 
to  the  shore  in  their  large  wooden  canoes,  which  are  convenient  for  this 
purpose.  When  the  Salmon  are  thrown  upon  the  beach,  the  women 
take  out  their  entrails  and  hang  them  by  the  tails  on  poles  in  the  open 
air.  After  they  have  remained  in  this  situation  a  day  or  two,  they  take 
them  down  and  cut  them  thinner,  and  then  leave  them  to  hang  for 
about  a  month  in  the  open  air,  when  thoy  will  have  become  entirely 
dry.  They  are  then  put  into  store-houses,  which  are  built  on  four 
posts,  about  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  to  prevent  animals  from  destroy- 
ing them ;  and,  provided  they  arc  preserved  dry,  they  will  remain 
good  for  several  years.' — IIarmon\  Travels  in  North  America,  1820." 


8ALM0NIDJE. 


31 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPrERYGII. 


SALMONID^. 


THE  QUINNAT. 

Salmo  Quinnat:  Cuvier. 

"  '  This  is  the  species  which  ascends  the  Columbia  earliest  in  the 
season,  commencing  its  run  in  the  month  of  May  in  enormous  shoals, 
clearing  the  greater  Dalles,  cascades  and  rapids  innumerable,  and  ma- 
king its  way  to  the  sources  of  the  river,  where,  at  the  close  of  the  sea- 
soii,  it  is  found  dead  on  the  beach  in  great  numbers.  The  muscular 
power  of  this  fish  is  truly  astonishing,  even  in  a  class  of  the  animal 
kingdom  remarkable  for  vigorous  movements,  for  it  may  bo  seen 
ascending  channels  at  the  Kettle  Falls  so  rapid,  that  when  a  stone  as 
big  as  a  man's  head  is  dropped  into  them,  it  is  shot  downwards  with 
the  swiftness  of  an  arrow.*  Individuals  of  this  species  have  often  been 
seen  with  their  noses  fairly  worn  down  to  the  bone,  and  in  the  last 
stage  of  emaciation,  yet  still  striving,  to  the  last  gasp,  to  ascend  the 
stream.  The  selection  of  particular  streams  for  spawning  is  a  remark- 
able feature  in  the  history  of  the  fish.  It  ascends  the  Walamet,  Snake, 
and  Kootanie  rivers,  &c.,  and  passes  by  the  Kawalitch,  Okanagan, 
Dease's  river,  and  others,  seeming  to  prefer  a  rapid  stream  interrupted 
by  falls,  to  one  of  a  quieter  character,  though  other  circumstances 
must  regulate  its  choice,  as  some  of  the  rivers  which  it  refuses  to  enter 
have  an  extremely  rapid  current.  It  is  this  Salmon  which  forms  the 
main  subsistence  of  the  numerous  hordes  of  Indians  who  live  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Columbia,  and  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  Quinnat,  for 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river.  It  attains  a 
large  size,  weighing  often  from  thirty  to  forty  pounds.'  The  Quinnat 
is  evidently  the  '  Common  Salmon'  of  Lewis  and  Clarke.  Tliese  tra- 
vellers mention  the  first  arrival  of  the  Salmon  at  the  Skilloot  village. 


V.' 


V'  ''J 


m 


*  In  the  map  published  by  the  Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful  Knowledge,  the 
descent  at  the  Kettle  Falls  is  stated  at  twenty-one  feet ;  but  Lewis  and  Clarke  were 
of  opinion  that  in  high  floods  the  water  below  the  falls  rises  nearly  to  a  level  with 
that  above  them. 


V\ 


32 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


bolow  the  site  of  Fort  Vancouver,  as  having  occurred  ou  the  18th  of 
April,  in  the  year  1806. 

"  '  Color. — General  tint  of  the  back  bluish  gray,  changing,  after  a 
few  hours  removal  from  the  water,  into  mountain  green  ;  sides  ash 
grey  with  silvery  lustre  ;  belly  white  ;  back  above  the  lateral  line  stud- 
ded with  irregular  rhomboidal  or  star-like  black  spots,  some  of  them 
occellated.  Dorsal  fin  and  gill-covers  slightly  reddish ;  tips  of  the  anal 
and  pectorals  blackish  gray ;  the  dorsal  and  caudal  thickly  studded 
with  round  and  rhomboidal  spots,  back  of  the  head  sparingly  marked 
with  the  same.  Whole  body  below  the  lateral  line,  with  the  under  fins, 
destitute  of  spots.  Lower  jaw  and  tongue  blackish  gray  ;  roof  of  the 
mouth  tinged  here  and  there  with  the  same.  Scales  large.  Teeth 
disappearing  on  the  medial  line  of  the  upper  jaw,  one  row  on  each 
palate  bone,  a  few  small  teeth  on  the  fore  part  of  the  vomer,  and  two 
rows  on  the  tongue.  Form. — The  greatest  convexity  of  the  back  at 
the  origin  of  the  dorsal ;  end  of  the  caudal  semilunar ;  adipose  oppo- 
site to  the  posterior  end  of  the  anal ;  dorsal  of  greater  height  than 
length.     Fins.— Br.  17;  P.  16;  V.  10;  A.  16;  D.  14—0;  C.  19f' 

"  The  specimen  of  this  Salmon,  though  it  is  very  soft,  and  has  lost 
its  scales,  still  retains  its  form,  so  that  1  am  able  to  add  the  following 
particulars  to  Dr.  Gairdner's  description : — General  form  much  like 
tbst  of  a  Salmon  Trout.  The  head  is  exactly  one-fourth  of  the  length, 
from  the  tip  of  the  snout  to  the  end  of  the  scales  on  the  caudal.  The 
snout  is  cartilaginous  as  in  S.  Salar,  and  the  length  of  the  lower 
jaw  rather  exceeds  that  of  the  upper  surface  of  the  head.  The  edge 
of  the  gill-plate  is  an  arc  of  a  circle  as  in  that  species,  but  the  sub- 
operculum  is  still  more  sloned  off,  having  much  the  form  of  that  of 
Salmo  Scoukri.  There  are  sixteen  gill-rays  on  the  right  side,  and 
seventeen  on  the  left.  The  largest  teeth  are  those  of  the  under  jaw, 
of  which  tLdre  are  eleven  in  each  limb,  placed  at  regular  distances, 
with  some  small  ones  in  the  intervals  attached  to  the  soft  parts  only. 
The  labial  and  intermaxillary  teeth  are  similar  to  these,  and  but  little 
inferior  in  size.  The  lingual  teeth,  considerably  smaller  than  those  in 
the  jaw,  are  placed  in  two  parallel  rows,  five  in  each.  The  palatine 
teeth  are  a  little  shorter  than  the  lingual  ones,  and  those  on  the  vomer 
are  the  smallest  of  all,  scarcely  protruding  through  the  soft  parts  in 
the  recent  specimen  ;  there  are  nine  of  them — two  in  front,  the  others 


8ALM0NID£. 


33 


in  a  single  scries,  running  upwards  of  half  an  inch  backwards,  or  about 
two-thirds  as  far  back  as  the  palatine  teeth.  The  gullet  is  armed  with 
small  teeth  above  and  below.  The  jaw  teeth  are  as  big  as  those  of  the 
Salmon  Trout.  There  are  sixty-six  vertebrae  in  the  spine.  The 
pyloric  caca  aro  very  numerous,  there  being  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty-five  of  them  ;  and  their  insertions  surround  the  intestines  from  the 
pylorus  until  it  makes  a  bend  downwards,  below  which  they  continue 
to  bo  inserted  for  a  short  way  on  one  side  of  the  gut  only." 


34 


AMERICAN   FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYOII. 


SALMONIDiC:. 


GAIRDNEU'S  SALMON. 


THE    QUEACHT8. 


Salino  Gairdncrii;  Richardson. 


*'  The  specific  name  which  I  have  given  to  this  Salmon  is  intended 
as  a  tribute  to  the  merits  of  a  young  though  able  naturalist,  from  whom 
science  may  expect  many  important  acquisitions,  and  especially  in  the 
history  of  the  Zoology  of  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  should  his 
engagements  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  permit  him  to  cultivate 
that  hitherto  neglected  field  of  observation. 

" '  This  species  ascends  the  river  in  the  month  of  Juno,  in  much 
smaller  numbers  than  the  Quinnat,  in  whoso  company  it  is  taken.  Its 
average  weight  is  between  six  and  seven  pounds. 

"'Color. — Back  of  head  and  body  bluish  gray;  sides  ash  gray. 
Belly  white,  'i  he  only  traces  of  variegated  marking  are  a  few  faint 
spots  at  the  root  of  the  caudal.  Form. — Profile  of  dorsal  lino  nearly 
straight,  tail  terminating  in  a  highly  semilunar  outline.  Vcntrals 
correspond  to  commencement  of  dorsal  and  adipose  to  end  of  anal. 
Teeth.— Jaws  fully  armed  with  strong  hooked  teeth,  except  a  small 
space  in  centre  of  upper  jaw.  Vomer  armed  with  a  double  row 
for  two-thirds  of  its  anterior  portion.  Palate  bones  also  armed  with 
strong  teeth.     Fins.— Br.  11—12;  P.  13;  V.  11 ;  A.  12.' 

"  In  this  species  the  gill-cover  resembles  that  of  Salmo  Salar  still 
more  strongly  than  that  of  the  Quinnat  does,  the  shape  of  the  sub- 
operculum  in  particular  being  precisely  the  same  with  that  of  Salar. 
The  teeth  stand  in  bony  sockets  like  those  of  the  Quinnat,  but  arc 
scarcely  so  long.  Those  of  the  lower  jaw  and  intermaxillaries  are  a 
little  smaller  than  the  lingual  ones,  and  somewhat  larger  than  the  pala- 
tine or  labial  ones.  The  tongue  contains  six  teeth  on  each  side,  the 
rows  not  parallel  as  in  the  Quinnat,  but  diverging  a  little  posteriorly. 
The  pharyngeals  are  armed  with  snmll  sharp  teeth.     The  numbers  of 


6almonid;e. 


8ft 


the  teeth,  excluding  the  sraall  ones  which  fall  off  with  the  gums,  are  as 
follow: — Intermax.  4 — 4;  labials  21 — 21 ;  lower  jaw  11—11;  palate 
bones  12—12 ;  vomer  lost ;  tongue  6— G.  When  the  soft  parts  are 
entirely  removed,  the  projecting  under  edge  of  the  articular  piece  of 
the  lower  jaw  is  acutely  serrated,  in  which  respect  this  species  differs 
from  all  the  others  received  from  Dr.  Gairdnor.  There  are  sixty-four 
vertebra)  in  the  spine." 


ml 


M 


86 


AMKRrCAN    FISHK8. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOrTERYGIl. 


SALMON  I  D^> 


.1        I 


WEAK-TOOTHED  SALMON. 

QUANNICH. 
Salmo  Paucidena ;   Richardson. 

"  This  Salmon  ascends  the  Columbia  at  the  same  time  with  the  S. 
Gairdnerii,  and  in  equal  numbers.  It  is  taken  in  company  with  that 
species  and  the  Quinnat,  and  has  an  average  weight  of  three  or  four 
pounds. 

"  '  Color. — Back  of  head  and  body  bluish  gray ;  sides  a.sh  grny  with 
a  reddish  tinge ;  belly  white.  No  trace  of  spots  on  the  body  or  fins. 
Form. — Comniisi^ivo  of  the  mouth  very  oblique,  approaching  to  vorti- 
cal, dorsui  profile  quite  straight,  tail  forked.  Ventrals  corresponding 
to  middle  of  the  dorsal,  and  adipose  to  posterior  extremity  of  the  anal. 
Teeth  sparingly  scattered  and  feeble  on  the  jaws,  only  a  few  short 
weak  ones  on  the  anterior  extremity  of  the  vomer,  and  on  the  palate 
bones.     Fins.— Br.  13;  P.  17;  V.  12;  A.  17;  D.  12—0.' 

"  From  the  labels  having  dropped  off,  I  cannot  refer  the  fragments 
of  any  of  the  specimens  to  this  species  with  certainty  ;  but  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that  the  spine,  containing  sixty-six  vertebra),  belongs 
to  it,  and  if  so,  the  gill-cover  is  extremely  like  that  of  »S'.  Scoiikri^ 
and  the  bones  of  the  head  have  the  same  fibrous  structure  which  wo 
have  noticed  in  the  description  of  that  species.  None  of  the  teeth 
have  been  preserved,  but  those  of  the  lower  jaw  appear  to  have  been 
fixed  in  cartilaginous  sockets,  which  have  separated  from  the  bone, 
leaving  a  rough  surface.  The  palate  and  upper  jaw  bones  are  lost. 
The  union  of  the  branchial  arches  at  the  root  of  the  tongue  is  longer 
and  narrower  than  in  the  preceding  two  species,  and  the  gill-openings 
consequently  are  more  ample.  Either  this  species  or  the  S.  Scouleri^ 
or  perhaps  both,  are  named  'Red  Char'  by  Lewis  and  Clarke." 


•ALMONIDA,. 


37 


AMIIilMINAr, 
MALAUOlTEnVCill. 


SAKMONID^. 


THE  EKEVVAN. 

'  Snlmo  Seouleri !  Richardioii. 

"*  TijK  Kkowan,  which  nvoragoa  thirty  pounds  in  weight,  ascends 
tlio  C((lmnhia  towiinlK  tho  «nd  of  August  and  in  the  month  of  Soptcni- 
hor.  ItH  flimh  is  pahir  and  of  iaforior  quality  to  tho  four  prccoding 
kinds.'  From  l)r,  (juinliior's  description  of  this  species,  1  have  little 
doubt  of  its  licitig  tho  miuuo  with  tho  S.  Seouleri  of  Observatory  Irilot; 
:ind  I  should,  without  hesitation,  have  referred  to  it  tho  spinal  culunin 
and  opercular  boric"  otiood  at  tho  close  of  tho  account  of  tho  prece- 
ding speciiiH,  had  not  Dr.  Gairdnor  mentioned  that  no  specimen  of  tho 
I'ikewan  was  soiit,  as  ho  had  not  obtained  one  small  enough  to  bo  put 
in  spirits. 

"  '  (/or.oH, — Body  above  medial  lino  smoke  gray,  passing  on  head  and 
tail  into  bluish  gray  ;  a  slight  reddish  tinge  at  the  root  of  tho  dorsal, 
and  between  it  and  the  adipose.  Fins  blui,sh  gray,  and  all  tinged  with 
rod  except  the  caudal,  which,  with  the  back,  is  studded  with  irregular 
semilunar  and  sttdlatod  blackish  brown  sp(  ts.  A  large  vermillion  red 
patch  in  tho  concavity  of  tho  vertex,  and  another  on  tho  prcoperculo. 
I3ody  below  the  mesial  line  grayish  white  with  a  reddish  tingo.  Form. 
— A  remarkable  flattcming  over  extremity  of  snout,  behind  which 
a  slight  concavity  to  occiiput,  where  the  body  rises  suddenly  into  a 
hump,  and  continuoH  rising  as  far  as  the  first  dorsal,  this  elevated  por- 
tion being  acenminatiMl  into  a  ivlgo.  A  notch  behind  the  point  of  the 
snout  gives  an  arcluid  outline  to  tho  commis.suro  of  the  mouth.  Lower 
jaw  also  arched  upwards,  so  that  tho  two  jaws  do  not  approach  each 
other  when  tho  mo\ith  is  closed,  except  at  the  two  extremities.  Tekth. 
— .laws  fully  nrmod  with  strong  hooked  tjeth,  except  a  small  space  in 
the  medial  lin(*  of  the  upper  jaw.  Teeth  moveable,  from  being  imbed- 
ded in  soft  eiirtilaginoiis  sockets.  Two  rows  of  strong  lingual  teeth,  a 
single  row  on  oiwh  palate  bono,  and  a  few  rudimentary  ones  can  be 
felt  in  a  singlu  row  on  tho  anterior  extremity  of  the  vomer.     Teeth  on 


i,JS 


m 


litl 


mi 


(I , 


38 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


the  pharyngeal  bones.     Rays. — Br.  16  ;  P.  16 ;  V.  9 ;  A.  16 ;  D 
12—0. 

"  '  This  description  applies  to  a  female — the  male  diflFers  in  the  up- 
per jaw  being  elongated  into  a  proboscis,  which  projoots  beyond  the 
lower  jaw  when  the  mouth  is  closed ;  it  is  formed  of  a  iioveable  carti- 
laginous mass  articulated  to  the  extremity  of  the  nasal  bones,  and  is 
furnished  with  teeth  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  jaw.  The  lower  jaw  is 
narrower,  and  entirely  received  within  the  concavity  of  the  upper  one 
when  the  mouth  is  shut.'  " 


SALMONID^. 


39 


ABDOMINAL 
MAL.ACOPTERYGII. 


HALMONIDiG. 


THE  TSUPPITCH. 


Salmo  Tsuppitch; 


'"  'The  Tsuppitc>  ascends  the  Columbia  at  the  same  time  with  the 
Ekewan.     I  counted  1644  ova  in  the  ovary  of  a  female. 

"  '  Color. — Back  of  body  and  head  studded  with  oval  and  circular 
spots ;  sides  and  fins,  including  the  caudal,  destitute  of  spots ;  back 
medially  bluish  gray,  passing  on  the  back  of  the  head  into  blackish 
gray,  and  on  the  sides  into  yellowish  gray,  with  a  greenish  tinge  and 
silvery  white.  General  color  of  the  fins  ash  gray.  Teeth. — Jaws 
fully  armed  with  minute  sharp  teeth,  a  single  row  on  each  palate  bone, 
a  very  few  on  the  anterior  end  of  the  vomer  in  a  single  series,  and  a 
double  row  on  the  tongue.  Fokm. — Head  small,  exactly  conical,  ter- 
minating in  a  pointed  snout.  Commissure  of  mouth  very  slightly  ob- 
lique. Convexity  of  dorsal  profile  rising  gradually  to  origin  of  first 
dorsal,  and  declining  from  thence  to  the  tail.  Caudal  forked.  Rays 
—Br.  13;  P.  13;  V.  10;  A.  13;  D.  12—0.' 

"  A  spine  containing  sixty-four  vertebrae,  and  an  under  jaw  with  ten 
curved  teeth  in  each  limb,  are  all  the  bones  that  I  can  with  any  ap- 
pearance of  correctness  refer  to  this  spocics.  The  teeth  are  of  equal 
size  with  those  of  S.  Gairdneri,  or  perhaps  rather  larger,  and  are  at- 
tached to  the  jaw-bone  through  the  medium  of  cartilage. 


'1.  ■■■* 

IS 


m 


■Yl\ 


m 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONlDiE. 


CLARKE'S  SALMON. 

Salmo  Clarkii ;  RichardBon. 

"  Dr.  Gairdnci  does  not  mention  the  Indian  name  of  this  Trout, 
which  was  caught  in  the  Katpootl,  a  small  tributary  of  the  Columbia, 
on  its  right  bank.  I  have  therefore  named  it  as  a  tribute  to  the  me- 
mory of  Captain  Clarke,  who  notices  it  in  the  narrative  prepared  by 
him  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Expedition  to  the  Pacific,  of  which  he 
and  Captain  Lewis  had  a  joint  command,  as  a  dark  variety  of  Salmon 
Trout.  In  color  this  species  resembles  the  Mykiss  of  Kamtschatka, 
and  there  is  no  very  material  discrepancy  in  the  number  of  rays  in  the 
fins.     Vide  Arct.  Zool.,  Intr.,  p.  cxxvi. 

"  '  Color. — Back  generally  brownish  purple  red,  passing  on  the  sides 
into  ash  gray,  and  into  reddish  white  on  the  belly.  Large  psUches  of 
dark  purplish  red  on  the  back.  Dorsals  and  base  of  the  caudal  ash 
gray,  end  of  caudal  pansy  purple.  Back,  dorsal,  and  caudal  studded 
with  small  semilunar  spots.  A  large  patch  of  arterial  red  on  the  oper- 
culo  and  margin  of  the  preopcrcule.  Pectorals,  ventrals,  and  anal 
grayish  white,  tinged  with  rose  red,  'I'ketji. — Botlt  jaws  armed  with 
strong  hooked  teeth,  a  single  row  on  each  palate  bone,  a  double  row 
on  the  anterior  half  of  the  vomer  and  on  the  tongue.  Dorsal  profile 
nearly  straight.  Ventrals  opposite  to  the  middle  of  the  first  dorsal. 
Fissure  of  mouth  oblique.  Kxtremity  of  caudal  nearly  even.  Fins. 
Br.  11  ;  P.  12;  V.  8;  A.  13;  D.  11—0.' 

"  There  appear  to  have  been  two  specimens  of  this  species  sent  to 
me  by  Dr.  Gairdner.  In  both  the  spinal  column  contains  sixty-two 
vertebra;.  The  teeth,  which  are  closely  set,  rather  long,  slender  and 
acute  ;  and,  in  the  older  specimen,  considerably  curA'ed,  are  in  num- 
ber as  follows: — Intormax.  lost;  labials  28 — 30;  palate  bones  15 — 
17  ;  vomer  13,  two  in  front  and  the  others  in  a  single  flexuose  series. 
as  long  as  the  dental  surface  of  the  palafe-Lonrs  ;  lower  jaw  1.3 — 13  ; 

The  lingual   teeth  are  the 


tongue  6—6,  in  two  almost  parallel  rows 


SALMONID^. 


41 


largest  and  most  curved,  those  of  the  lower  jaw  are  next  in  size,  then 
follow  the  vomerine,  palatine,  and  labial  teeth,  which  arc  equal  to  each 
other.  The  pharyngeal  teeth  are  also  proportionally  long,  and  there 
is  an  oblong  palate,  rough  with  very  minute  ones,  on  the  isthmus  which 
unites  the  lower  ends  of  the  branchial  arches.  This  space  is  quite 
smooth  in  S.  Salar,  in  several,  if  not  in  all  the  English  Trouts,  and 
in  .S'.  Quinnat,  Gairdneri,  and  in  the  imperfect  specimen  which  I  have 
referred  to  -S.  Scoukri.  In  the  latter  the  surface  of  the  arches  is  also 
quite  smooth,  but  in  the  Quinnat  and  Gairdneri  minute  rough  points 
become  visible  with  a  good  eye-glass.  In  all  the  Trouts  the  com- 
pressed rakers  have  their  thin  inner  edges  more  or  less  strongly  toothed. 
In  one  of  the  specimens  of  S.  Clarkii  the  spinal  column  is  nine  inches 
long,  in  the  other  six." 


if 


i 


43 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONIDif:. 


THE  NORTH-WEST  CAPELIN. 

« 

Sabno  {Mallotus  ?)  Pacificua;  Richardson. — Hva-OEtiva  Mallotua;  Cuvicr? 

" '  The  Indian  name  of  this  fish  is  Oulachan.  It  comes  annually  in 
immense  shoals  into  the  Columbia,  about  the  23rd  of  February,  but 
ascends  no  higher  than  the  Katpootl,  a  tributary  which  joins  it  about 
sixty  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  keeps  close  to  the  bottom  of  the  stream 
in  the  day,  and  is  caught  only  in  the  night.  The  instrument  used  in 
its  capture  by  the  natives  is  a  long  stick  armed  with  sharp  points, 
wliich  is  plunged  into  the  midst  of  the  shoal,  and  several  are  generally 
transfixed  by  each  stroke.  It  is  the  favorite  food  of  the  Sturgeon, 
which  enters  the  river  at  the  same  time,  and  never  has  a  better  flavor 
than  when  it  preys  on  this  fish.  The  Otilachan  spawns  in  the  different 
small  streams  which  fall  into  the  lower  part  of  the  Columbia.  It  is 
much  prized  as  an  article  of  food  by  the  natives,  and  arrives  oppor- 
tunely in  the  interval  between  the  expenditure  of  their  winter  stock  of 
dry  Salmon  and  the  first  appearance  of  the  Quinnat  in  May.'  This 
fish  is  noticed  by  Lewis  and  Clarke  in  the  following  terms : — '  The 
Anchovy,  which  the  natives  call  OUkcti,  is  so  delicate  a  fish  that  it  soon 
becomes  tainted,  unless  piokled  or  smoked ;  the  natives  run  a  small 
stick  through  the  gills,  and  hang  it  to  dry  in  the  smoke  of  their  lodges, 
or  kindle  small  fires  under  it ;  it  needs  no  previous  preparation  of  gut- 
ting, and  will  be  cured  in  twenty-four  hours  ;  the  natives  do  not  ap- 
pear to  be  very  scrupulous  about  eating  it  when  a  little  foetid.' 

" '  Color  generally  silvery  white,  passing  on  the  back  into  a  blackish 
tinge.  Large  irregular,  but  generally  oval  spots  of  yellowish  white  and 
blackish  gray  on  the  back,  A  bluish  black  spot  over  each  orbit.  Mar- 
gins of  lips  black.  Back  of  head  grayish  white.  Minute  black  dots 
on  the  silvery  basis  of  the  cheeks.  Form. — Head  small  and  pointed. 
Largo  suborbital  covering  the  greater  part  of  the  cheek.  Opercule 
terniiniitin^  in  a  thin  rounded  angle.  Mouth  opening  obliquely  up- 
ward.s,  it.'*  fissure  extending  as  far  back  as  the  anterior  margin  of  the 


SALMONIDJC. 


43 


orbit.  Lower  jaw  projecting  beyond  the  upper  one,  and  terminating 
iu  a  rounded  knob  turned  slightly  upwards.  Margins  of  upper  jaw 
entirely  formed  by  the  intermaxillaries,  on  which  there  are  a  few  mi- 
nute setso  in  place  of  teeth.  Lower  jaw,  vomer  and  palatines  devoid 
of  teeth.  Tongue  rough,  and  pharyngeals  armed  with  teeth.  Fins. 
—Br.  8  ;  P.  11 ;  V.  8;  D.  11—0  ;  A.  20.  Adipose  fin  thin  and  con- 
taining little  fat.     Lateral  line  straight  and  continuous.' 

"  Five  specimens  were  sent  to  me  by  Dr.  Gairdner,  but  they  were 
unfortunately  all  so  much  injured  that  I  can  add  very  few  particulars 
to  that  gentleman's  brief  description.  In  the  general  form,  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  scales,  the  black  specks  on  the  head  and  body,  the 
form  of  the  anal  and  its  attachment  to  a  compressed  projecting  edge 
of  the  tail,  the  structui'e  of  the  lower  jaw  and  gill-covers,  and  in  the 
shape  of  the  head  as  far  as  it  could  be  ascertained,  this  fish  closely 
resembles  the  Capelin.  On  the  other  hand,  the  ascent  of  the  species 
into  fresh  water  to  spawn,  and  perhaps  its  dentition,  ally  it  to  the 
Smelt.  Head  as  in  the  Capelin,  forming  one-fifth  of  the  length  be- 
tween the  tip  of  the  snout  and  end  of  the  central  caudal  rays.  Caudal 
forked.  Dorsal  commencing  a  very  little  anterior  to  the  middle  be- 
tween the  tip  of  the  snout  and  end  of  scales  on  the  caudal,  agreeing, 
in  this  respect,  more  nearly  with  the  Smelt  than  with  the  Capelin,  in 
which  the  dorsal  is  farther  back,  its  first  ray  being  equidistant  from 
the  end  of  the  snout  and  the  extremity  of  the  central  caudal  ray.  Anal 
of  one  specimen  containing  twenty-one  rays.  Gill-covers  thin,  papery, 
and  dexible,  lined  with  nacre.  In  drying,  the  surfaces  of  the  opercu- 
lar bones  are  marked  with  wrinkles  parallel  to  their  sides,  as  may  be 
observed  in  the  Smelt  and  Capelin,  but  not  so  conspicuously.  These 
wrinkles  are  most  evident  on  the  square  operculum.  As  the  thin 
lining  of  the  mouth  and  lips  is  mostly  abraded,  from  the  putrcscency 
of  the  specimens,  the  dentition  can  be  only  imperfectly  ascertained 
from  them.  In  four  specimens  no  teeth  whatever  can  be  discovered  ; 
but  in  a  fifth,  a  female  full  of  mature  roe,  the  lower  jaw  is  armed 
with  a  single  series  of  very  slender,  curved  teeth,  rather  more  distant, 
and  longar  than  those  of  the  Capelin.  There  is  also  a  solitary  tooth 
remaining  on  the  vomer  of  the  same  specimen,  occupying  the  place  of 
the  exterior  vomerine  tooth  in  the  Smelt,  and  nearly  as  large.  Tongue 
conical  as  in  the  Smelt,  and  not  presenting  an  oval  flat  surface  sur- 


m 


44 


^ 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


rounded  with  tooth  like  the  Capelin.  In  all  the  specimens  the  upper 
jaw  was  so  much  injured  that  its  structure  could  not  bo  ascertained ; 
but  it  is  probable  that  the  intcrmasillaries,  being  small  as  in  the  Cap- 
elin, were  not  distinguished  from  the  labials  by  Dr.  Gairdner,  in  his 
examination  of  the  recent  fish.  The  rakers  of  the  branchia3  are  lon;r 
and  slender  as  in  the  Smelts  and  Capelin.  The  stomach  resembles 
that  of  the  Capelin  ;  the  descending  portion  ends  in  a  pointed  sac,  and 
a  short  branch  which  it  gives  ofiF  in  the  middle  terminates  in  the  pylo- 
rus. The  intestine  makes  a  bend,  or  rather  twist,  downwards  at  the 
pylorus,  and  runs  straight  to  the  anus,  its  calibre  gradually  becoming 
less  as  it  approaches  the  latter.  There  are  nine  caeca,  throo  uf  tbem 
rather  shorter  than  the  others,  close  to  the  pylorus ;  the  other  six,  in- 
serted in  a  single  series  down  one  side  of  the  intestine,  arc  each  half 
an  inch  long.  In  three  specimens  there  are  sixty-eight  vertebrae  in 
the  spine,  and  in  two  sixty-nine.  A  male  specimen,  with  the  melt 
half-grown,  showed  no  traces  of  villi,  or  altered  scales,  on  the  lateral 
line,  though  the  skin  was  apparently  entire  in  that  place.  Male  Cape- 
lins,  destitute  of  the  ridges  of  elongated  scales,  are  occasionally  taken 
in  Greenland." 


8almonid;e. 


m 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONIDiC. 


THE  WHITE  FISH. 


A        -.i.AWjMEG. 


Coregonus  Albus. 


It  is  very  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  delicious  fish  is  taken  abun- 
dantly, and  of  the  very  finest  quality,  infinitely  superior  to  the  fish  of 
Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario,  and  not  inferior  to  that  of  Haron  and  Sujierior 
in  the  small  inland  lakes  of  Seneca  and  Cayuga. 

So  far  as  1  can  learn,  the  White  Fish  is  nowhere  takan  with  the  fly, 
unless  by  pure  accident ;  and  that  it  is  utterly  unworthy  of  the  angler's 
pursuit,  as  a  fish  of  game,  cannot  be  doubted.  The  Coregoni,  in 
general,  are  the  most  vegetable-eating  of  all  the  Salmonidce,  {>'>d  rarely 
take  a  bait  of  any  kind,  although  I  learn  that  in  Seneca  Lake  they 
are  occasionally  caught  on  set  lines,  especially  with  stale  bait. 

I  find  it  statod  in  Dr.  Richardson's  Fauna  Boreali  Americana,  that 
the  White  Fish  runs  up  the  Severn  River  from  Lake  Huron,  in  order 
to  spawn,  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Todd ;  there  must,  howe\er,  be 
some  error  in  this ;  as  having  visited  the  Severn  this  autumn,  and 
canoed  up  it  into  Lake  Simcoe,  I  can  answer  for  the  fact  that  it  is  im- 
practicable to  any  fish ;  and  that  having  a  purely  rocky  bottom  until 
above  the  great  Mis,  it  possesses  no  spawning  grounds  to  tempt  fisli. 
At  the  very  outlet  there  is  a  natural  fall  or  rapid  of  above  twelve  feet, 
with  an  old  Indian  mill-dam  ;  at  about  twelve  miles  higher  yet,  there 
is  a  very  powerful  rapid  of  about  fifteen,  and  at  twenty-five  from  the 
mouth  a  superb  rapid  and  fall  of  seventy  feet  descent  in  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  length. 

The  Severn  notoriously  contains  no  fish  except  a  few  sucking  Carp 
of  difierent  kinds,  a  few  Rock  Bass,  and  in  the  shallow  rice  lakes  above 
the  falls,  goodly  Mascalonge. 

The  best  White  Fish  are  taken  in  the  rapids  of  the  Sault  St.  Mario, 
with  scoop-nets ;  but  they  are  also  speared  by  the  Indians,  and  takec 
in  vast  quantities  with  the  sein;i,  by  the  white  settlers. 


Mi. 


'•%! 


46 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


ABDOMINAL 
MALACOPTERYGII. 


SALMONIDiE. 


LE  SUEUR'S  HERRING  SALMON. 

Corcgonua  Artedi;  Lo  Sueur. 

This  fish  is  the  Herrmg  of  Lake  Erie  and  the  Niagara  River.  It 
is  not  of  much  value  as  an  article  of  food,  and  of  next  to  none  as  a  fish 
of  sport.  The  meat  is  white  and  delicate  enough,  but  rather  dry  and 
tasteless. 

Richardson  thus  alludes  to  it  in  his  fine  work,  so  often  quo.  on  the 
Northern  fishes  of  America  : 

"  This  species  having  been  taken  in  Lake  Erie  and  the  Niagara 
River,  requires  to  be  noticed  in  this  work.  M.  Le  Sueur  says  that  it 
is  locally  known  by  the  name  of  Herring  Salmon,  and  is  considered  to 
be  very  delicate  food.  As  it  did  not  fall  under  our  notice,  wo  shall 
transcribe  the  description  given  of  it  by  its  discoverer. 

"  Description  quoted  from  M.  Le  Sueitr. — Body  subfusiform,  a  little 
elevated  at  the  back  ;  head  small,  having  an  osseous  radiated  plate 
which  is  covered  by  the  skin ;  snout  pointed.  In  form  this  species 
approaches  the  ScGmbri  ;  a  section  of  it  is  oval.  Head  small  and  nar- 
row ;  snout  short,  terminated  by  small  intermaxillaries ;  maxillarics 
wide,  sharp-edged  as  in  the  Herring,  edges  entire  ;  mandibles  carinate, 
producing  inwardly  a  triangular  pedunculate  expansion ;  very  small 
conical  teeth  inserted  in  the  skin  of  the  lips  at  the  extremity  of  the 
jaws :  these  teeth  were  sufficiently  manifest  in  a  small  individual,  but 
not  visible  in  a  larger  one,  a  female,  which  came  under  my  observa- 
tion. Rays  in  the  osseous  plate  of  the  head  tubular,  and  open  at  the 
exterior,  some  tending  backwards,  and  others  towards  the  end  of  the 
snout.  A  faint  carinate  line  divides  the  top  of  the  head  in  the  dried 
specimen.  Lateral  line  straight  and  near  i\\Q  middle;  nostiils  double, 
close  to  the  end  of  the  snout  tind"articulation  of  the  maxillaries  ;  scales 
round,  approximated,  euf-ily  fulling  off";  the  base  of  the  tail  is  covered 
with  them.  Color  ash  blue  at  the  back,  paler  and  silvery  on  the  rest 
of  the  body,  with  yellow  tints  on  the  tail,  head  and  dorsal ;  iris  whitish, 


// 


SALMONID^. 


47 


Length  ten  to  twelve  inches.     Fins. — Br.  9  ;  P.  16 ; 


13;  C- 


pupil  black.     j,. 

D.  12—0;  V.  12;  A. 

"  M.  Le  Sueur,  in  comparing  our  Attihawmeg,  or  his  Coregonus  Al- 
itis,  with  0.  Arlcdi,  says  that  it  has  a  loss  fusiform  body,  and  the  back 
elevated  from  the  nape  to  the  dorsal.  '  Tlie  C.  Albus,''  ho  further 
states, '  has  more  depth  of  body,  a  greater  elevation  of  back,  and  much 
stronger  proportions  in  its  body,  fins,  and  scales.  The  adipose  fin, 
which  is  broad,  appears  to  consist  of  delicate  rays,  much  pressed,  and 
in  pairs.'  A  careful  examination  of  the  dried  specimens  of  our  C. 
Albus  from  Lake  Huron,  exhibited  no  rays  whatever,  nor  any  interspi- 
nous  bones  to  support  them,  but  the  fin,  in  drying,  splits  in  a  fibrous 
manner." 

This  is  the  Herring  of  Seneca  Lake,  now  becoming  very  rare,  but 
much  prized,  as  the  best  and  most  killing  of  all  baits  upon  the  deep 
lake  set-line  for  Trout,  Pike-Perch,  Eels,  and  Black  Bass. 


m 


48 


AMERICAN    FI8HE!:. 


ABDOMINAL 

MALACOITERVail. 


SALMONIDiC:. 


LAKE  HURON  HERRING  SALMON. 


THE    HKRHINO. 


Coregonua  Harengua ;  Richardson. 


This  fish  is  exceedingly  abundant  on  the  shores  of  Luke  Huron,  to 
which  it  resorts  in  enormous  shoals  in  the  spring  and  aututun,  and  con- 
stitutes a  principal  article  of  food  to  the  Indians  and  white  settlers.  It 
is  rather  a  dry  and  tasteless  fish.  It  occasionally  rises  at  the  fly,  but 
is  rarely  taken  except  by  the  seine. 

Richardson  describes  him  thus.  I  have  examined  this  and  the  last 
species,  and  am  satisfied  that  they  arc  distinct : 

"  This  fish  is  plentiful  at  Penetanguishenc,  on  Lake  Huron  ;  but  I 
am  unable  to  determine  whether  it  be  the  same  with  the  C.  Artcdi  of 
Le  Sueur,  which  we  have  already  noticed  as  an  inhabitant  of  Lake 
Erie.  Baron  Cuvier's  remark  upon  our  specimen  was,  '  E$pcce  nou- 
vellc  voislne  dcs  Carcgnnes.'*  It  resembles  C.  Lucidus  very  nearly  ;  its 
larger  head,  smaller  scales,  and  a  slight  diflfercnco  in  the  position  of 
its  vontrals  being  the  principal  distinctive  characters  I  have  been  able 
to  detect  in  the  dried  specimens.  Havir'^  lost  my  notes  of  the  dissec- 
tions which  I  made  of  C.  Lucidus,  and  i^.ving  examined  the  recent 
specimens  of  C.  Ilarcngus  only  cursorily,  I  can  3ay  nothing  respect- 
ing any  differences  that  may  exist  in  their  viscera.  An  argument 
against  the  identity  of  the  species  may  be  adduced  fiom  their  habitats 
being  upwards  of  twenty  degrees  of  latitude  apart. 

"  The  Lake  Huron  Herrinr,  Salmon  is  gregarious,  like  the  Bear 
Lako  one,  and  frequents  sandy  bays  during  the  summer  months.  It 
spawns  in  April  and  May,  and  at  that  time  is  occasionally  soon  in 
rivers.  According  to  Mr.  Todd's  observations,  it  is  '  a  timid  fish,  ap- 
pears to  bo  in  constant  rapid  motion,  and  associates  in  shoals  in  pursuit 
of  the  fry  of  the  small  fi.slu'S  on  which  it  feeds.  As  an  article  of  diet, 
it  is  well  tasted  and  wholesome,  though  much  less  rich  and  agreeable 
than  the  Attihawmeg. 


8almonid;&. 


49 


"  The  following  is  a  description  drawn  up  from  notes  made  at  Peno- 
tanguishcnc,  aided  by  a  rc-exumination  of  the  dried  specimens : 

"  Color,  in  tlio  recent  fish,  olive  green  on  the  back,  silvery  on  tho 
sides  and  belly,  and  blackish  green  on  tho  top  of  the  head;  the  gill- 
covers,  cheeks,  and  irides  are  whitish  and  nacry. 

"  Scales  of  tho  same  form  with  those  C.  Lucidus,  bui  only  of  two- 
thirds  the  size  ;  on  tho  sides  their  transverse  diameter  is  four  lines, 
their  longitudinal  one  rather  more  than  three,  and  when  in  sitUj  eight 
are  included  within  a  linear  inch.  There  are  eighty-four  on  tho  late- 
ral lino,*  and  twenty-two  in  a  vertical  row  under  the  dorsal,  of  which 
nine  are  above  tho  lateral  line,  and  eight  between  it  and  the  vcntrals. 
The  lateral  line  is  straight. 

"  Form. — Body  compressed,  back  rounded,  belly  slightly  flattened, 
tho  greatest  thickness,  however,  being  at  tho  lateral  line,  which  is 
rather  nearer  to  the  back  than  to  the  belly ;  tho  height  of  tho  body, 
at  tho  dorsal,  is  double  its  thickness.  Profile  like  that  of  C.  Lucidus, 
the  head  being,  however,  more  acute. f  Tho  snout  is  obtuse,  when 
seen  in  fronc  or  from  above,  and  the  vertex  is  smooth  and  rounded  in 
the  recent  fish  ;  in  the  dried  specimen  the  radiated  tubular  lines  near 
the  nape,  the  sagittal  ridge  and  other  eminences,  appear  as  in  C.  Lu- 
cidus, but  not  so  prominently.  Tho  length  of  the  head  is  more  than 
one-fourth  of  the  distance  between  the  tip  of  the  snout  and  end  of  the 
scales  on  tho  caudal,  and  somewhcat  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  total 
length,  including  the  lobes  of  the  caudal.  In  the  position  of  tho  eye, 
and  the  forms  of  the  jaws  and  opercular  bones,  this  species  scarcely 
differs  from  C  Lucidus.  When  the  mouth  is  fully  open,  its  orifice 
measures  seven  lines  vertically,  and  five  and  a  half  transversely  ;  the 
under  jaw,  which  is  narrow,  but  not  acute,  then  projects  about  four 
lines  beyond  the  articulations  of  the  labials. 

"  Teeth,  none  on  the  jaws,  vomer,  or  palate,  but  three  rows  of  very 
Blender  ones  on  the  tongue  may  be  perceived  by  the  aid  of  a  lens. 
Rakers  stiiF,  subulate,  and  rough  on  the  margins,  the  middle  ones  of 
the  first  arch,  which  are  the  largest,  measuring  five  lines. 

*  One  specinuMi  had  only  seventy-seven  scales  on  the  lateral  line,  but  the  same  as 
the  above  in  a  vertical  row. 

t  The  figure,  which  was  taken  from  a  dried  specimen,  presents  a  less  elegant  pro- 
tile  than  that  of  the  recent  fish. 


60 


AMKRICAN    FISHES. 


"F1N8.— Br.  9—9;  D.  12  or  13—0;  P.  16;  V.  12;  A.  13;  C. 

"  Tho  ventrals  originate  under  the  sixth  or  seventh  dorsal  ray,  but 
the  structure  and  form  of  all  tho  fins  are  nearly  as  in  C.  Lucidus. 
Tho  adipose  is  not  supported  by  intorspinous  bones,  but  it  exhibits  in 
tho  dried  specimen  a  very  fine,  apparently  fibrous  structure,  which  en- 
tirely disappears  when  tho  fin  is  moistened.  In  ono  specimen  the 
centre  between  tho  tip  of  tho  snout  and  end  of  scales  on  the  caudal, 
corresponds  with  the  first  ray  of  tho  vontrals  and  thirtieth  scale  of  tho 
lateral  lino  ;  in  another  it  is  a  little  posterior  to  tho  first  ventral  ray, 
being  at  tho  thirty-third  scale  of  the  lateral  lino  :  in  the  last  speoimou 
the  lateral  lino  has  seven  scales  more  than  the  other." 


PERCID^E. 


61 


AUANTIIOITRRYOII. 


PEBOiDiE. 


THE  riKE  PEAROH. 


YKl.t.OW  PIKK  PKRril,  OR  AMERICAN  8ANDRE. 


Lticiojirrc  t  Americana ;  DcKb./. 

In  Hpoiikinj^  of  tlii»  MhIi  in  the  body  of  this  work,  not  having  then 
B.!on  It,  I  borrowed  both  tlio  doMcriptifin  anl  the  cut  from  Dr.  DeKay'u 
Fauna  of  Nnw  Vork. 

Th«  cut,  I  rc^rcit  to  wvy,  in  vory  incorrect,  o«p  e;ally  as  regards  the 
poHition  of  tho  vi'titral  llnM,  which,  as  in  the  sah  irachial  Mnlacopterygu 
and  thi)  Haas  j^^rcuip  of  tho  I'ercidce,  arf-  a'.l;i.ched  to  tho  hv  .'.iral  bones, 
and  situati)  innniidiatidy  bflow  tlie  pe(  tora;j. 

Tao  foMowin^^  is  thu  diisuription,  with  measurement,  of  very  fine  -.p  - 
ciniouh,  Hunt  to  nio  by  Mr.  Mandevillc,  of  Geneva  : 

Head  prtdon^ed,  miout-likc,  with  a  flattened  depression  above  tho 
t'yjiH.  I'reopHruuluui  nearly  vertical,  scalloped  rather  than  dentatcd 
on  thu  under  margin.  Tho  operculum  has  three  flat  angular  processes, 
corroHpoiiding  to  u  lino  drawn  from  tho  snout  through  the  centre  of  tho 
orbit,  and  a  pointed  membrane  beyond. 

JOyo  very  largo,  nearly  equidistant  between  the  snout  and  the  opor- 
clo. 

Dental  HyMtem  nioHt  foMti'lablo;  several  powerful  recurved  canine 
tuskH  at  the  extremity  of  oach  jaw,  those  of  the  lower  received  into 
correMponding  cavities  of  tho  upper  jaw  ;  a  series  of  smalhir  hooked 
toeth  on  tho  labials,  and  a  row  of  very  long  sharp  recurved  tusks  on 
tho  palatines;  n'-  t  eth  on  tho  tongue  or  vomer. 

VVholi)  length,  1!)  inches  ;  from  snout  to  posterior  angle  of  operclo, 
5  inc'u'H ;  from  snout  to  centre  of  eye,  1|-  inch  ;  to  origin  of  the  pec- 
torals, 4|  inches  ;  of  ventrals,  5| ;  of  anal,  1  ]i  ;  of  caudal,  16i ;  of  first 
dorsal,  5;  of  second  dorsal,  lOJ.     lircadth,  5^  inches;  thickness,  2^. 

Branchiostegous  rays,  0. 

Pectorals  thirteen  soft  rays  ;  vontrals  one  spine  five  branched  rays  ; 
anal  ono  spino  twelve  brnnchod  rays :  caudal  d^oply  furcate,  nineteen 


<:i 


I 


52 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


rays  ;  first  dorsal,  fifteien  spines,  first  three  short,  fourth  and  fifth  long- 
est ;  second  dorsal,  two  short  spines,  seventeen  soft  rays.  The  vontrals 
are  placed,  as  in  the  subbrac/ual  Malacoplery gii^  immediately  below, 
and  a  little  behind  the  pectorals. 

The  dorsal  outline  is  slightly  curved,  and  descending  abruptly  to 
the  snout,  above  the  operculum ;  the  lateral  line  is  nearly  concurrent 
with  the  dorsal  outline  ;  ventral  outline  much  curved. 

The  pectoral  fins  are  golden  yellow  ;  the  ventrals  and  anal,  ruddy 
orange ;  dorsals,  transparent  yellowish  green,  mottled  with  blackish 
gray.  Head,  blackish  brown  above.  Gill-covers,  golden  yellow, 
mottled  with  purplish  gray.  Back,  above  the  lateral  line,  purplish 
brown,  with  a  golden  spot  on  the  edge  of  every  scale,  giving  it  a  beau- 
tiful dappled  hue.  The  sides  down  to  the  pectorals,  and  in  a  line 
thence  to  the  anal,  beautifully  mottled  with  vivid  golden  yellow  and 
purplish  brown,  running  in  irregular  wavy  diagonal  lines,  upward  and 
backward.     Belly  pure  white. 

This  is  a  beautiful  fish,  and  as  good  and  game  as  ho  is  beautiful. 

In  Seneca  Lake  these  fish  will  rarely  take  the  bait  in  trolling  or 
spinning  ;  but  in  Cayuga  they  are  constantly  so  taken  with  Shiners,  or 
by  trolling  with  two  hooks  about  two  and  a  half  inches  apart,  baited 
ivith  a  frog,  one  hook  through  the  lip,  the  other  through  the  thigh, 
which,  as  the  frog  is  drawn  along,  gives  it  a  natural  swimming  motion. 

The  Pike  Perch  fights  hard  and  pulls  very  strongly.  The  same 
tackle  as  for  Pickerel  is  the  best. 

His  flesh  is  delicate  and  deliciniis ;  boiled,  he  is  best  with  parsley 
and  butter  or  egg  sauce ;  but  in  no  way  is  he  other  than  a  good  table 


i  > 


FERCID^. 


63 


ACA  Sl'HOPTERYGII. 


PERCID/E. 


SOUTHERN  SEA  FISHES. 


It  is  a  source  of  much  regret  and  disappointment  to  me  that  a  num- 
ber of  specimens,  which  I  was  promised  from  Charleston,  have  not 
come  to  hand  in  season  for  this  edition  ;  I  relied  on  them  wherefrom 
to  draw  figures  and  compile  descriptions  of  several,  to  me,  new  genera^ 
which  I  can  now  only  name  by  their  provincial  appellations,  which, 
being  incorrect  and  local,  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  books. 

The  principal  of  these  are  the  Cavalle,  and  Horse  Cavalle,  two  fish 
of  the  Pcrcoid  fomily,  strongly  spined,  which  are  said  to  be  bold 
biters,  and  the  former  a  very  fine  fish.  Besides  these,  there  is  the 
Southern  Black  Fish,  entirely  different  from  the  Tautog,  or  Northern 
Black  Fish,  and  having  a  much  larger  mouth;  several  varieties  of 
Mullet,  and  the  far-famed  Pompano  of  Florida,  a  fish  of  the  Mack- 
arel  family. 

Of  late  years,  the  Tautog  and  Boston  Bay  Whiting  have  been  intro- 
duced into  the  Bay  of  Charleston,  and  are  said  to  bo  greatly  thriving 
and  becoming  abundant. 

None  of  these  fish,  as  I  am  informed  by  my  friend  Mr.  King,  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  the  keenest  fisherman  of  those  waters,  are 
ever  taken  except  with  the  hand-line,  with  a  heavy  sinker  and  clam 
bait,  the  rod  and  reel  being  ignored  and  voted  useless  by  the  anglers 
in  the  deep-sea  lino. 

I  trust,  at  some  future  period,  to  procure  more  and  authentic  infor- 
mation touching  these  fishes  ;  but  in  lack  of  certain  and  positive  infor- 
mation, I  prefer  silence  to  either  theory  or  error. 


w 


11 


If 


y 


!l 


SALMON    FISHING. 


57 


SALxMON   FISHING. 


On  reconsidering  what  I  have  written  in  the  body  of  the  work,  I 
perceive  that  I  have  written  somewhat  too  rapidly,  taking  matters  for 
granted  which  arc  granted  with  u  finished  angler,  and  therefore  passing 
them  over  without  comment,  where,  perhaps,  they  need  to  a  novice 
farther  explanation. 

I  shall  therefore  recapitulate,  first,  the  implements,  and  then  the 
modus  operandi. 


THK    SALMON-ROD    AND    TACKLE. 


My  description  of  the  Salmon-iod,  on  page  240,  is  nearly  unobjec- 
tionable, so  far  as  it  goes.  Expericnca  makes  the  angler  dread  whale- 
bone ;  I  think  that  it  should  never  bo  used  in  any  rod,  particularly  on 
the  tip  of  the  top  joint  of  a  Salmon-rod  ;  it  will  curve,  and  by  pressure 
cease  to  be  clastic,  or  spring.  I  have  seen  the  worst  effects  from  its 
use.  The  stationary  curve  or  bend  of  the  extreme  end  of  the  tip  will, 
despite  of  every  precaution,  causo  the  line  to  coil  round  the  top,  and 
then,  "where  are  you  .'"  reel  us  'Ics.s — tackle  gone — fish  gone  !  Any- 
thing but  whalebone.  Split  bamboo,  spliced,  is  preferable  to  any 
other  wood.  Lance-wood  is  good — very  good.  All  modern  Salmon- 
rods  are  made  with  ferrules  and  cappings,  each  of  which  is  received 
into  a  socket  of  metal,  brass,  or  German  silver,  lot  into  the  receiving- 
joint.  This  is  all  very  neat  and  convenient;  but  I  never  would  think 
of  throwing  a  fly  for  a  Salmon,  with  a  rod  of  this  character,  without 
loop-tios,  as  security  against  the  joints  loosening  or  flying  apart. 

The  continued  use  and  action  of  a  powerful  eighteen-feot  rod,  when 
subjected  to  the  constant  tug  and  work  of  a  Salmon,  will  loosen  them,  .1 
care  not  how  well  made,  or  how  closely  fitted  ;  and  even  with  tho  loop- 
ties,  I  have  known  tho  very  best  to  shiiko,  and  make  on?  also  shak  • 


1 


ill! 


d 


I- 


68- 


\t 


AMERICAN    FI6IIKS. 


Screwed  joii»ts  arc,  I  think,  not  lasting ;  they  very  soon  get  worn  and 
shaky,  and  make  a  man  timid  ;  for  in  Salmon  fishing,  one  should  have 
the  most  unbounded  confidence  in  his  tuckb.  1  cannot  overcome  my 
respect  and  reverence  for  the  old-fashionod  spliced  rod ;  with  it  one 
has  elasticity,  firmness,  and  strength,  combined  with  lightness.  A 
modern  cighteen-feet  rod  must  weigh  at  letist  two  pounds  twelve 
ounces.  The  spliced  rod,  same  length,  will  not  weigh  more  than  two 
pounds  two  ounces ;  and  ten  ounces  additional  weight  is  no  joke  in  a 
day's  cast. 

Every  Salmon-rod  should  bo  provided  with  a  spike  to  screw  into 
the  butt ;  it  is  all-important  for  many  purposes,  and  every  Salmon- 
fisher  knows  the  use  of  it.  The  great  fault  in  most  Salmon  rods  is  the 
imperfect  and  ignorant  "  ringing."  The  modern  rods  have  too  few 
and  too  small  rings ;  too  many  are  better  than  too  few,  particularly 
on  the  top  joint.     The  very  best  rods  now  have  sixteen  rings. 

One  hundred  yards  of  line  is  abundant  for  the  heaviest  Salmon ; 
and  I  believe  that  no  Salmon  was  ever  lost  owing  to  shortness  of  line, 
with  one  of  this  length  on  the  reel.  Every  experienced  angler  for  Sal- 
mon knows  that  a  Salmon  is,  unlike  the  Bass,  not  a  "  run-away"  fish. 
His  run  seldom  exceeds  fifteen  or  twenty  yards,  and  even  then,  like  a 
trotting  horse,  he  requires  a  tight  rein  to  make  him  "  go."  In  Salmon- 
fishing  it  answers  very  well  where  you  have  eighty  or  a  hundred  yards 
of  line  on  the  reel,  to  have  the  taper  gradual  from  the  fortieth  or  fif- 
tieth yard,  the  centre  of  the  line,  to  the  reel  end,  and  from  the  cen- 
tre to  the  fly  end  ;  and  thus,  when  necessity  requires  it,  the  reel  end 
can  be  changed  to  the  fly  end,  and  the  old  fly  end  made  the  reel  end. 
I  have  killed  my  share  of  Salmon,  and  I  never  had  a  fish  take  seventy- 
five  yards  from  me,  even  in  a  large  lake,  where  thoy  had  plenty  of 


A  friend  of  mine  struck  a  very  heavy  fish  on  liOch  Corrib,  in  the 
County  Galway,  in  Ireland.  The  water  was  very  rough,  and  he 
was  .standing  on  a  projecting  rock  which  ran  out  of  a  small  island, 
opposite  to  the  beautiful  village  of  Ouchterard.  He  had  light  tackle, 
and  not  more  than  seventy  yards  of  lino  on  his  reel.  He  killed  the  fish 
after  about  one  hour's  work  ;  and  that  fish  did  not  run  off  fifty  yards  of 
his  lim.  His  weight  was  eleven  pounds,  much  lighter  than  the  angler 
exp2ctc>d  when  he  first  struck  him. 


SALMON    FISHING. 


59 


The  use  of  two  or  more  flies,  when  fishing  for  Salmon  in  a  river, 
would  be  an  experiment,  I  think,  dangerous  in  the  extreme  ;  and  even 
in  lakes  I  have  never  seen  any  man  use  even  two  flics,  when  fishing  with 
the  rod. 

A  true  Salmon  fisher  should  disdain  and  spurn  the  use  of  double 
gut.  A  friend,  instructed  by  the  best  fisherman  during  his  day,  states 
that  he  never  shall  forget  his  direction,  viz : — "  Let  your  tackle  be 
of  the  lightest  kind,  consistent  with  strength."  He  never  used  double 
gut.  I  never  have,  and  never  will.  The  link  on  which  the  fly  is  tied 
should  be  finer  and  more  slender  than  the  link  to  which  it  is  looped  or 
knotted.  The  end  of  the  casting-line,  which  is  united  to  the  reel-line, 
should  be  the  thickest  and  strongest  portion  of  the  gut,  and  the  whole 
should  taper  to  the  fly.  Three  yards  and  a  half  is  the  proper  length 
from  fly  to  reel-line.  This  instruction  is  all-important,  as  I  hope  to 
show,  when  speaking  of  Trout. 


THE    CASTING-LINE. 

The  casting-line  should  be  looped,  for  Salmon  fishing,  to  the  reel- 
line.  The  loops  on  both  should  be  securely  whipped  with  strong  and 
well-waxed  silk.  The  casting-line,  without  the  addition  of  the  fiy 
links,  should  be  three  yards,  and  no  more ;  and  every  knot  on  the 
casting-line  should  bo  the  water-knot,  which  is  the  simplest  knot  in  the 
world,  being  the  common  tie-knot,  with  two  or  three  turns  round 
itself  instead  of  one.  For  Salmon  fishing  three  knots  are  necessary, 
though  two  are  sufficient  for  Trout. 

Each  knot  should  be  well  secured  by  whipping  with  waxed  silk  ;  and 
at  the  end  of  the  line  a  link  should  be  made,  and  well  secured  as  above. 

The  link  upon  which  the  fly  is  tied,  should  be  knotted  with  the  wa- 
ter-knot, as  described,  to  another  link,  upon  which  a  loop  should  be 
made,  also  well  secured  by  whipping. 

Thus,  then,  we  have  two  links  upon  which  the  fly  is  tied.  The  loop 
then  upon  the  fly-link  is  looped  to  the  casting-line,  and  thus  the  cast- 
ing-line is  about  three  yards  and  a  half  in  length  from  reel-line  to  fly. 
By  this  mode,  the  disadvantage  arising  from  the  double  loop  on  the 
casting-line  is  partly  obviated  by  having  the  loop  removed  a  consider- 
able distance  from  the  fly. 


i 


60 


AMKIUCAN    FISIIKS. 


This  is  my  Sulinon  casting-lino,  and  oxparionco  and  closo  observa- 
tion enables  nic  to  say,  with  confidence,  that  it  is  the  proper  one. 

On  panje  244,  I  have  stated  that  "  the  niodo  is  idonticul,"  that  is, 
of  casting  the  fly  for  the  Trout  and  the  Salmon.  What  I  intcudod 
hero  to  say  is  simply,  that  the  cfFoct  to  bo  aimed  at  is  the  same  ;  thi 
mode  of  operation  is  certainly  in  some  sort  different.  The  wio'  ..iug 
of  an  cightoen-feet  Salmon-rod,  as  done  with  both  hands,  certainly 
diflFers  from  the  handling  with  one  hand  of  the  light  twolve-fect  rod. 

The  former  lequires  more  power,  slowness  and  steadiness  of  arm; 
and  far  more  caution  is  needed  to  prevent  the  fly  from  cracking  off". 

It  is  the  mo.st  difficult  thing  in  the  world  to  describe  motions  of  the 
arm,  so  as  to  bo  distinctly  understood ;  much  more,  motions  of  an  im- 
plement so  delicate  as  a  fly-rod. 

With  regard  to  the  mode  of  casting  or  delivering  the  fly,  1  have 
nothing  to  add  to  the  instructions  given  on  page  246  of  the  body  of 
the  work.  I  will,  however,  add,  that  in  playing  a  heavy  fish,  hooked 
on  a  single  gut,  it  is  very  well,  "  beside  advancing  the  butt,  and  bear- 
ing your  rod  backward  over  your  right  shoulder,"  to  lower  the  body 
by  bending  the  knees  as  much  as  possible,  or  even  kneeling  down,  as 
by  so  doing  you  dimiuLsh  and  equalise  the  strain  on  that  most  delicate 
of  instruments,  the  long  Salmon-rod. 

It  is  to  bo  observed  that  a  moment  longer  may  bo  given  to  a  Salmon, 
before  striking,  than  to  a  Trout ;  many  good  writers  recommend  allow- 
ing him  to  turn  before  striking,  but  with  this  I  do  not  coincide. 

My  own  idea  is  like  shooting  on  the  first  aim — always  to  strike,  and 
to  kill,  with  judgment,  as  quickly  as  you  can ;  never  giving  a  moment  of 
time,  or  an  inch  of  line,  which  you  can  avoid  giving. 

On  the  subject  of  flies,  it  is  not  necessary  to  say  more.  All  largo 
and  gaudy  flies,  on  Limerick  hooks,  will  kill  in  some  state  or  other  of 
some  waters ;  and  with  a  pretty  good  assortment,  the  angler  has  only 
got  to  change  till  he  finds  one  to  which  the  fish  will  rise,  and  then 
stick  to  that. 

And  so,  adieu  to  Salmon  Fishing. 


TROUT   FISHING. 


ei 


TROUT-FISHING. 


THK    IMPLEMENTS. 

With  regard  to  tlio  rod,  as  described  on  page  254,  I  have  little  or 
no  more  to  say. 

Different  persons  approve  of  diflferent  degrees  of  pliancy  in  rods, 
Irish  anglers  generally  using  one  much  more  pliant  than  their  English 
brethren. 

My  correspondent  referred  to  above,  writes  to  me  in  reference  to 
my  description,  thus :  and  his  theory  and  practice  are  both  so  good, 
that  I  cannot  do  bettor  than  again  quote  him,  as  1  agree  fully  with 
every  word. 

THE    TROUT-ROD. 


**A  PLIANT  Trout-rod,  in  the  hand  of  a  fly-fisher,  is  a  comfort.  Per- 
sons who  use  spliced  rods  can  handle  a  very  pliant  one,  but  the  great 
majority  of  anglers,  as  you  are  aware,  use  the  jointed  rods ;  and  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  '  an  old  hand,'  who  has  for  years  used  a  spliced 
rod,  to  procure  one  suflSciently  pliant. 

A  i'od  can,  however,  be  too  pliant,  even  in  the  hand  of  the  most  ex- 
perienued.  Every  man  who  has  used  a  very  pliant  rod,  knows  that 
when  preparing  for  a  fresh  cast,  the  line  will  catch  before  it  can  be 
carried  sufficiently  back  to  make  the  forward  movement ;  and  the  eflFcct 
is,  that  in  the  effort  to  obviate  the  threatened  difficulty,  a  fly  will  crack 
off.  Now,  I  use  a  very  pliant  rod ;  but  I  am  an  Irishman,  and  learned 
my  trade  in  that  land  of  lake  and  river.  You  are  an  Englishman, 
and  I  suppose  became  master  of  your  trade  there.  The  English  use 
comparatively  stiff  rods.  A  rod  should  not  be  pliant  below  the  second 
joint.     It  is  no  easy  matter  to  describe  one.     Your  length,  twelve 


*  t 


68 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


foet,  is  exactly  up  to  my  notion  The  weight  should  not  exceed  thir- 
teen or  fourteen  ounces ;  and  above  all,  it  should  not  be  top-heavy. 
In  fitorray  weather,  a  very  pliant  rod,  even  in  the  hands  of  the  best 
angler,  is  very  inconvenient  and  laborious ;  and  when  used  in  such 
weather,  nothing  short  of  constant  caro  and  exertion  will  save  the  flies 
from  snapping  o£f. 

"  You  omit  to  mention  the  necessity  for  a  spike  in  the  butt.  Every 
fly-rod  should  have  it.  In  case  a  new  cast  of  flies  is  required,  or  any 
change,  what  a  convenience  to  have  the  rod  erect,  and  the  line  hang- 
ing down  to  your  hand.  How  many  rods  get  broken  when  stretched 
on  the  ground,  by  some  careless  devil  standing  on  the  tip  ;  or  the  tip 
being  obstructed  by  weed  or  brier,  in  a  sudden  and  careless  lift. 

"  You  give  no  directions  about  the  number  of  rings.  A  rod  should 
have  sixteen.  Avoid  whalebone  tip.  There  should  be  no  percepti- 
ble spring  in  a  fly-rod  before  three  and  a  Imlf  feet  from  the  spike  ;  a 
spring  below  that  will  inevitably  make  the  rod  top-heavy.  Three 
yards  is  the  length  of  the  casting-line,  but  never  more  than  throe  and 
a  half. 

"  You  say  '  the  flies  should  bo  three  in  number.'  Not  always — there 
are  exceptions,  many  exceptions.  In  tv^nfincd  streams,  where  there 
are  bushes,  weeds,  &c.,  one  fly  is  as  much  as  can  be  managed  or  used. 
Also,  in  streams  where  the  fish  are  very  numerous,  one  fly  is  plenty, 
particularly  with  the  light  tackle,  whicfi  a  gentleman  and  an  anglei 
should  use.  In  clear  water,  lakes  and  ponds,  three  flies  are  the  proper 
number. 

"  Now  to  return  to  the  casting-line.  On  a  casting-line  no  loops  of 
any  kind  should  bo  used,  because  they  are  unnecessary;  and  every  un- 
necessary bulk,  or  uneven  surface,  which  may  make  a  splash,  or 
frighten  fish,  should  be  avoided.  To  the  reel-line,  splice  a  link  of  the 
strongest  gut ;  that  is,  proportionate  with  the  tapering  gut  of  the  cast- 
ing-line, which  is  a  fixture,  until  used  up  by  constant  cuttmg,  when 
another  is  put  on. 

"  Let  the  casting-line  be  nino  foet,  the  largest  and  stoutest  links  at 
the  top,  graduating  ti  the  bottom.  To  the  bottom  or  last  link,  knot 
the  link  upon  which  the  tail  or  stretcher-fly  is  tied.  Three  feet  from 
the  end  of  the  casting  lino,  before  the  tail-fly  is  put  up,  or  three  feet 
eight  or  nine  inches  from  the  tail-fly,  use  this  knot : 


TUOUT    FISH  I  NO. 


6a 


Two  feet  from  the  first  knot,  have  a  similar  knot.  The  ends  of  all  the 
other  knots,  cxcep'  the  one  which  secures  the  tail-fly,  tie  neatly  with 
waxed  silk,  as  near  the  color  of  the  casting-line  as  you  can.  The  knot 
should  be  the  'water-knot.'  Let  the  first  dropper  or  drop-fly  be  tied 
on  gut  three  and  a  half  or  four  inches  long,  the  second  a  shade  longer. 
Upoa  the  end  of  each  link  upon  which  the  drop-fly  is  tied,  let  the  knot 
be  that  in  the  cut.  The  slip-knot  on  the  casting-line,  as  depicted  in 
the  plate,  can  be  pulled  open  by  catching  the  little  projections  on  each 
side,  and  pulling  them  apart.  I  insert  the  knot  end  of  the  drop-fly 
between  the  opening  or  two  links,  and  then  pull  the  knot  together,  and 
the  dropper  hangs  perpendicular.  There  is  no  more  secure  or  neater 
knot ;  every  cast  tends  to  increase  its  secixrity  ;  and  there  is  no  con- 
trivance whereby  the  drop-flies  can  work,  or  hang  so  well.  The  reason 
why  we  whip  or  tic  ib  ^  ends  of  all  the  knots  save  those  for  the  drop- 
pers and  tail-fly,  is,  that  when  fishing  in  stream  or  pond,  if  the  projec- 
tions of  the  knots  are  exposed,  the  casting-line  will  constantly  become 
foul  and  heavy,  by  every  floating  piece  of  grass  or  stuff,  which  will  ad- 
here to  the  sharp  projections  of  the  knot^s. 

"  Objections  may  be  made  to  knotting  the  tail-fly  to  the  casting-line, 
and  thus  making  it  a  fixture.  The  answer  to  this  is,  that  the  advan- 
tage is  far  greater  than  the  disadvantage.  One  can  in  a  moment  slip 
out  either  or  both  his  droppers,  by  drawing  apart  the  knot,  and  in- 
S3rt  other  flies ;  or  he  can,  as  every  man  should,  when  fishing,  have  a 
perfect  mounted  casting-line  '  all  round  his  hat;'  and  it  is  only  the 
work  of  a  moment  to  cut  the  discarded  casting-line  from  the  stationary 
link  attached  to  the  reel-line,  and  tie  on  the  substitute.     Or  one  may 


iJ 


»4 


AMERICAN    riBIIES. 


out  thn  cttHting-lino  in  uso  close  up  to  tlio  knot  which  Hccurcs  tho 
tail-fly,  and  tie  on  another — the  loss  of  put  is  trifling — nii<l  when,  by 
constant  cutting,  the  link  becomes  short,  he  tiein  on  a  new  one. 

"  There  is  one  other  remark  worth  mentioning.  The  tail-fly  should 
bo  the  heaviest,  the  first  dropper  should  be  less  in  size,  and  the  hand- 
fly,  or  second  dropper,  less  than  the  first ;  and  let  the  angler  bo  as- 
sured, that  attention  to  these  apparently  minor  matters  tend  to  fill  his 
creel  and  save  his  fly.  This  is  the  true  idea  of  a  casting-line.  A  man 
should  bo  particular  in  his  tackle,  and  ho  is  as  much  entitled  to  credit 
for  its  neatness  as  for  dexterity  in  its  use. 


ON   THE    USE    or    THE    ROD. 


"  Every  angler  should  loam  to  uso  the  rod  with  either  hand ;  and 
no  man  is  a  finished,  safe,  expert,  or  self-saving  angler  who  cannot  use 
the  left  as  well  as  the  right  hand.  To  say  nothing  about  a  sprained 
wrist,  and  consequent  loss  of  sport  during  the  season,  or  being  obliged 
to  cease  fishing  from  the  fatigue  and  weakness  of  one  hand,  there  are 
certain  winds,  in  some  situations,  when  and  where  a  cast  cannot  bo 
made  with  the  right  hand. 

"  Again,  it  is  important  to  be  able  to  throw  a  fly  in  the  teeth  of  the 
wind,  which,  when  done  properly,  often  lifts  the  very  best  fish.  It  is 
not  diflieult,  but  it  is  a  little  laborious,  and  needs  practice.  It  is  not 
accomplished  either  by  the  double  or  single  turn ;  it  is  done  by  bring- 
ing the  rod  right  up  in  front,  avoiding,  if  possible,  the  wind  taking  the 
rod  to  the  right  or  left.  Now  when  the  rod  is  almost  straight,  press  the 
butt  strong  towards  the  body  with  the  wrist,  keeping  the  arm  as  close 
to  the  side  as  possible,  until  the  tip  comes  about  three-quarters 
straight  against,  or  in  the  eye  of  the  wind ;  and  then  run  the  arm  out 
directly  forward,  turning  the  wrist,  during  the  forward  action,  outside, 
or  towards  the  right  side.  By  this  mode,  which  is  more  easily  done 
than  described,  the  line,  which  sliould  be  only  of  manageable  length, 
will  unfold,  and  display  a  pretty  fair  cast ;  at  all  events,  the  waves,  or 
turbulent  state  of  the  water,  will  conceal  the  defective  fall  of  the  flies 

"  Every  angler  should  tie  his  own  casting-lino ;  no  dependance  can 
be  placed  on  those  purchased,  for  the  reason  that  very  few  tackle-sel- 


TROUT    FISIIINO. 


M 


loi'H  tins  pnicticiil  fly-flMhiTH,  nwl  do  not  know  the  necessity,  and  will 
not  tiikii  tliii  iHiitiM,  ot'  nitikinj^  a  tapering  line. 

"  A  caHtiiig-liiii)  will  eoHt  Huventy-fivo  cents  at  the  tackle  store;  made 
at  lioinit,  tlicy  coMt  about  eighteen  cunts.  It  is  important  then,  on  thu 
Hcuro  of  (tcoiioniy,  as  wfll  as  success,  that  the  angler  should  make  lii.^ 
own  caNliiig-lino, 

"  It  in  tliereforo  important  that  the  proper  knots  should  be  known 
by  name,  and  how  to  make  them. 

"  There  are  but  three  knots  suitable  for  angling,  to  wit :  the  slip- 
knot, described  in  the  cut  above,  which  is  only  fit  for  the  insertion  of 
thu  drop-flies ;  the  water-knot,  and  the  knot,  or  mode  of  finishing  a 
knot,  which  might  be  termed  the  '  fiui»iiing-knot.' 

'^'riie  hlip-knot  need  not  bo  described — it  is  plain  enough  in  tho 
drawin;^. 

"  The  watisr-knot  is  tho  most  simple  of  all  knots.     It  is  tho  *cowt- 

mon  knolj^  pnHsing  or  turning  the  ends  to  be  united  twice  round  each 

other,  and  then  pulling  them  together.     It  is  only  necessary  to  pass 

thorn  twice  round  ;  it  is  enough,  althoagh  some  persons  use  three  turns. 

It  is  the  smallest  knot  by  which  gut  can  bo  united.     When  the  knot 

is  pulled  tight,  then  cut  off  the  ends,  leaving  a  littlo  remaining  for  tho 

whipping  or  faMtctniiig.     Tho  projecting  ends  should  then  be  fastened 

with  thin  but  strong  silk,  waxed  with  white  wax.      Every  practical 

angler  knows  how  to  finish  off,  or  secure  tho  end  of  the  silk.    The  silk 

is  wound  round  the  projecting  and  main  gut,  until  within  six  or  seven 

turns  or  rounds  of  tho  end  of  the  projecting  bit  of  gut;  then  turn  the 

point  of  tho  silk  towards  the  knot,  and  continue  the  winding  around 

tho  ond  of  tho  silk  which  has  been  turned  towards  the  knot,  until  the 

winding  is  finished,  then  pull  the  end  tight  under  the  whipping,  and 

tho  fastening  is  secure  and  invisible." 

,  -1 


J. 


«e 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


OF  TROLLING  FOR  LAKE-TROUT 


IN   HAMILTON  COUNTY,  NEW-YO,PK 


(by  a  rpicul  correspomdent.) 


I  PROPOSE,  in  this  connexion,  to  treat  of  this  fine  and  exciting  sport, 
describing  1st,    The  rod  ; 

2nd,  The  reel ; 

3rd,  The  line  , 

4th,    The  leader,  and  train  of  hooks ; 

5th,    The  bait  and  flies  ; 

6th,    The  bait-kettle ; 

7th,    The  boat  and  oarsman,  or  guide ; 

8th,  The  manner  of  striking  the  fish,  when  the  bait  is  taken. 
And  lastly,  9th.  How  to  play,  and  gafi"  the  fish. 

1st.  The  Rod. — A  mutual  friend  of  ours,  who  writes  occasionally 
for  the  "  Spirit,''^  and  who  is  a  most  skilful  troUer,  wrote  an  article 
which  appeared  in  the  "  Spirit "  in  the  fall  of  1848,  signed  "  M.,  Mas- 
peth,  Long  Island,"  in  which  he  gave  a  capital  description  on  most 
of  the  above  heads.  I  wish  you  had  the  paper,  as  it  is  all  that  is  to 
be  said  on  the  subject. 

The  troUing-xod  spoken  of  by  you  on  page  327,  would  answer,  to 
wit :  the  barbed  rod.  *  *  *  had  two  of  the  most  perfect  trolling 
rods  I  have  seen ;  they  were  made  by  Ben.  Welch,  of  Cherry-street, 
and  arc  all  bamboo  cane.  I  had  one  made  by  George  Karr,  of  Grand- 
street,  which  I  like  very  much  ;  and  I  will  describe  it  the  best  way  1 
can,  although  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  describe  on  paper  a  rod  of  any 
kind  : — Length  from  eleven  to  thirteen  feet ;  butt  of  ash,  thoroughly 
seasoned,  about  one  and  a  quarter  inches  in  diameter,  or  about  as  thick 
as  an  ordinary  Bass-rod.     The  butt  should  be  hollow,  to  contain  spare 


^7 


TROLLING  FOR  LAKE  TROUT. 


67 


tips.  The  second,  third  and  fourth  joints  should  be  bamboo,  so  that 
when  the  rod  is  put  together,  it  will  be  about  twelve  feet. 

The  rod  should  have  two  spare  tips ;  one  shoul'  be  :ironger  and 
shorter  than  the  other,  to  vary  the  fishing  according  lo  the  state  of  the 
weather,  and  circumstances. 

The  fourth  or  last  joint,  tip,  should  be  about  three  feet,  thinner, 
and  more  pliant  than  the  spare  tops  which  fit  in  the  bored  butt.  The 
first  spare  top  should  be  two  feet  long,  stiffer  and  stronger  than  the 
original  top.  The  second  spare  top  should  be  about  fourteen  inches 
long,  strong  and  stiff;  and  ia  heavy  weather,  this  strong,  stiff  top  will 
be  the  one  to  use. 

Rod-making  has  been  brought  to  such  perfection,  it  would  be  a 
waste  of  time  to  give  further  instructions ;  but  still  I  only  know  two 
men  in  this  city  who  can  make  a  true  troUing-rod,  viz: — Ben.  Welch, 
of  Cherry-street,  and  George  Karr,  of  Grand-street,  near  Broadway. 

Rings  should  never  be  used  on  rods  of  this  character.  The  "rail- 
road" through  which  the  line  travels,  constitutes  one  of  the  peculiari- 
ties of  this  rod.  Rings  interfere  with,  and  impede  the  line,  and  should 
not  be  used.  The  guides  used  by  Welch  are  the  only  true  ones — they 
are  neat,  light,  with  a  thin  flat  shank,  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in 
length,  which  is  firmly  secured  on  the  different  joints.  There  should 
be  very  few  guides  on  the  rod — five,  I  consider  sufficient,  exclusive  of 
the  metal  case  at  the  top  of  each  tip.  This  metal  case  should  have  a 
rounded  surface,  perfectly  smooth,  and  sufficiently  large  to  allow  the 
line  to  run  without  the  slightest  obstruction  or  friction. 

Let  me  give  one  hint  before  I  take  leave  of  the  rod.  I  recommend 
that  all  troUing-rods  should  have  guides  on  both  sides — that  is,  a  guide 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  other  :  not  on  the  butt,  but  on  all  joints  from 
the  butt  to  the  end ;  and  why  .'  In  this  kind  of  fishing  there  is  power- 
ful pressure  on  the  rod ;  and  the  very  best  will,  from  hard  work,  be- 
come bent,  and  remain  bent,  and  thus  lose  its  elasticity.  To  ob- 
viate this,  turn  round  the  joints,  slip  the  line  through  the  spare  guides, 
and  in  a  few  hours  the  rod  is  "all  straight." 

2nd.  The  Reel. — To  give  an  explanation  of  this  to  you,  would  be 
absurd.  I  will  simply  say,  that  No.  3  is  about  the  proper  size  for  a 
troUing-rod,  without  stop,  click,  or  multiplier.     The  line  cannot  run 


4'' 


WW  AMERICAN    FISHES. 

off  too  free.     According  to  my  opinion,  John  Conroy  can  make  the 
best  reel  in  the  world, 

3rd.  The  Line. — One  hundred  yards  is  abundant.  Twisted  silk 
is  the  best  line  for  trolling.  I  know  they  kink,  when  new ;  but  very 
little  use  will  put  an  end  to  it — id  est,  knock  the  kink  out  of  it. 

Plaited  lines  are  very  good  and  cheap,  and  do  not  kink  ;  but  they 
absorb  the  water,  and  do  not  run  free  from  the  rod. 

A  mixture  of  hair  in  lines,  is  my  abomination.  It  is  the  most  dan- 
gerous and  uncertain  stuif  a  man  can  use.  You  can  never  depend  on 
it ;  the  hairs  will  give  way  with  but  little  strain ;  and  when  you  hook 
the  heaviest  fish,  the  greater  danger  is  to  be  apprehended.  I  hate 
them. 

4th.  The  Leader  and  Train  of  Hooks. — This  word  "leader" 
goes  against  my  grain.  The  old  familiar  English-Irish  sound  of  "  cast- 
ing-line," has  a  charm  for  my  ear,  equalled  only  by  the  still,  silent 

noise  of 

"  Ballyiialunch  or  Coslello's  flowing  waters." 

But  let  leader  go  for  trolling. 

Most  troUers  use  twisted  gut  for  a  leader,  with  a  small  swivel  at- 
tached to  one  end.  The  other  end  is  fastened  to  the  reel-line,  either 
by  loop  or  knot,  but  a  knot  is  by  far  preferable.  The  leader  should 
be  two  yards  long — some  good  and  old  liands  use  three  yards.  I  never 
use  twisted  gut.     I  prefer  a  leader  of  good  round  Salmon-gut. 

The  train  of  hooks  is  attached  to  the  eye  of  the  swivel,  at  the  end 
of  the  leader.  The  train  is  made  of  five  hooks,  and  made  on  the  very 
best  and  most  perfect  gut,  single.  The  strand  upon  which  the  hooks 
are  tied,  is  fastened  by  a  knot  to  another  equally  strong  and  perfect 
strand,  which  is  fastened  by  a  loop  to  the  swivel  at  the  end  of  the 
leader.  Thus  you  have  the  rod,  reel,  lino,  leader,  and  train  of  hooks. 
Perhaps  a  sketch  of  the  train  of  hooks  will  be  better  than  an  explana- 
tion.    Here  it  is : 


This  train,  you  will  perceive,  is  made  of  five  hooks.     The  lip-hook 


TROLLING  FOB  LAKE  TROUT. 


60 


. » 


\^ 


Rhould  be  a  size  or  two  smaller  than  the  tail-hooks — say  No.  5  for  the 
tail,  No.  6  for  the  middle,  and  No.  7  for  the  lip.  These  hooks  are 
joined  shank  to  shank,  with  the  gut  between  them,  and  then  firmly 
tied  with  waxed  silk.  But  I  procured  from  Ireland  a  set  of  hooks 
welded  or  united  together,  and  they  are  far  superior  to  single  hooks 
joined  by  tying  together,  for  they  frequently  double  up,  and  become 
very  troublesome.  George  Karr,  before  named,  can  rig  this  kind  of 
train  better  than  any  man  in  this  city,  as  far  as  my  experience  goes. 

5th.  The  Bait  and  Flies. — The  proper  bait  is  the  Shiner,  which 
can  be  plentifully  procured  in  all  the  lakes  of  Hamilton  county.  They 
are  taken  with  the  smallest  kind  of  hook.  No.  12,  with  worm  bait ; 
and  when  secured,  are  put  into  the  bait-kettie,  and  preserved  until 
used.  The  mode  of  putting  the  Shiner  on  the  train  is  simple :  put  the 
lip  or  single  hook  through  the  lip,  the  middle  hook  in  the  belly,  the  end 
hook  in  the  tail. 

Unlike  Trout-fishing  proper,  I  loop  on  my  flies  when  trolling.  About 
thirty-six  inches  from  the  Shiner  I  loop  on  the  leader — a  large  fly ; 
and  thirty  inches  from  that  fly  I  loop  a  smaller-sized  one,  and  then  I 
am  rigfijed  to  "  throw  out." 

6th.  The  Bait-Ketvlf.. — This  is  a  most  iriilv  pensable  article  for 
the  troUer — he  can't  get  ;^t  '^g  without  it.  It  should  be  made  of 
strong  tin,  painted  groen  <'  ute dij  and  white  inside.  The  bottom  should 
be  wider  than  the  top,  bul  dopmg  ;:i,  uually.  Conroy  has  now  in  his 
store  some  very  good  i  lid  eompletL  ;  but  there  is  one  great  improve- 
ment, to  have  the  handU.  Ir.  r.r  fall  insuU  the  lid.  I  recommend  a  small 
gauze  ladle,  with  a  3hort  l.tj' Jlo,  to  take  the  bait  from  the  kettle  when 
required — it  will  save  much  trouble,  and  injury,  if  not  death,  to  the 
"  dear  little  creatures." 

The  kettle  should  be  replenished  with  water  every  hour  ;  and  one 
unerring  sign  that  the  Shiner  needs  fresh  water,  is  when  he  pokes  his 
nose  to  the  surface.  When  the  fishing  is  over,  sink  the  kettle  in  the 
shoal  water,  and  secure  it,  so  that  it  cannot  be  tossed  about  by  "  wind 
or  weather." 

7th.  The  Boat  and  Oarsman,  or  Guide. — Here  you  must  trust 
to  luck — "  first  come,  first  served."    But  any  person  going  to  the  house 


70 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


of  John  C.  Holmes,  at  Lake  Pleasant,  will  find  good  accommodation, 
and  "  honest  Jo^"  will  secure  a  good  guide  and  a  good  boat ;  and 
from  experience  I  eau  safely  recommend  Cowles,  Batchellor,  and  Mor- 
rell,  of  Lake  Pleasant,  as  faithful,  honest,  persevering,  pafo  and  skil- 
ful guides  and  oarcnien. 

Trolling  is  solely  done  from  the  boat.  The  troUer  ;  its  with  his  face 
to  the  stern ;  the  oarsman  in  the  middle,  or  rather  near  the  bow,  and 
rows  slowly  and  gently  along  the  lake  ;  about  one  and  a  half  or  two 
miles  an  hour  is  the  proper  speed. 

8th.  The  Manner  of  Striking  the  Fish  when  the  Bait  is 
Taken. — Should  there  bo  much  wind,  thirty-five  yards  of  line  is  suf- 
ficient to  run  out — if  calm,  say  forty-five  or  fifty.  When  a  fish  is  felt, 
the  tip  of  the  rod  should  be  eased  off,  or  given  to  the  fish,  in  order  that 
he  have  time  to  take  hold ;  then  give  a  good  surge  of  the  rod,  and  you 
will  rarely  miss  striking  him.  Should  you  bo  fishing  with  two  rods, 
which  is  almost  always  the  case,  pass  the  other  rod  to  the  oarsman 
Never  give  the  fish  an  inch,  unless  by  actual  coi..pulsion  ;  ir.'ariably 
keep  him  in  hand — feel  him  at  a  distance,  but  still  be  kind  and  gentle, 
not  rude  or  rough.  Do  not  .show  the  gaif  until  you  know  that  the  fish 
is  "  used  up ;"  if  a  small  fish,  run  the  net  ttnder  him  ;  and  if  the  fish 
is  spent  or  exhaustec',  he  will  fall  into  it ;  but  if  he  shows  life,  draw 
him  over  the  net.  If  a  large  fish,  use  the  gaflf,  which  pass  under  him, 
with  the  point  downwards  ;  then  turn  it  up  inside,  and  strike  as  near 
tlie  shoulder  as  possible.     I  say  sJtuuhler  instead  of  ta'd. 


1  believe  that  I  have  now  done  with  this  branch  ;  but  let  me  say, 
that  no  good  trolkr  uses  lead  or  sinker  of  any  kind.  I  have  seen  it 
tised,  but  used  to  the  destruction  of  sport  and  taclcle.  Sinkers  carry 
the  hooks  to  the  bottom,  and  there  you  stick  cither  to  root  or  rock. 

When  trolling,  you  take,  on  the  average,  more  fine  Brook  Trout 
than  Lake  Trout.     I  tbink  that  two  to  one  is  correct. 

One  word  as  to  the  sporting  ((uality  of  the  Lake  Trout.  The  nine 
pound  and  a  quarter  Trout,  before  mentioned,  may  perhaps  be  an  ex- 
ception ;  but  I  do  affirm,  that  the  Lake  Trout  is  a  fish  of  game,  spirit, 
and  endurance. 

I  have  killed  thorn  from  one  to  slxte  -n  and  a  half  pounds.     The 


TROLLING    FOR   LAKE    TROUT. 


n 


sixteen  and  a  half  pound  Lake  Trout  was  hooked  by  me,  on  a  single 
gut  loader ;  from  the  time  I  struck  him,  till  his  capture,  was  one  hour 
and  forty-five  minutes.  During  the  first  half-hour,  he  showed  great 
bad  temper,  and  kept  the  perspiration  flowing  ofi"  my  head ;  he  did  sulk 
for  half  an  hour,  but  it  was  a  moving  and  a  dragging  sulk,  unlike  the 
Salmon  ;  and  during  this  sulk  he  took  me  along  the  lake  for  about  a 
mile ;  I  became  fatigued,  and  bore  so  heavy  on  him  that  I  got  him 
near  the  surface,  and  from  that  time  until  his  death  was  one  continued 
run  and  fight.  He  had  not  the  vivacity  of  the  nine  and  a  quarter 
pound  fish,  but  still  I  had  "  my  hands  full,"  and  was  efi"cctually  "used 
up"  when  he  was  gaffad  by  Cowles,  my  guide. 

There  is  another  mode  of  fishing  to  which  you  have  made  no  refe- 
rence, and  which  I  have  never  seen  described  or  spoken  of  in  any 
work  upon  angling.  I  mean  "  cross-fishing,"  as  practised  on  the  large 
Irish  lakes;  and  although  it  affords  great  amusement,  still  it  is  a  spe- 
cies of  poaching,  and  should  not  be  practised  by  the  legitimate  angler. 

The  cross-line  consists  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  strong  line, 
say  thin  whip-cord,  seventy-five  yards  of  which  is  wound  on  a  card, 
similar  to  a  card  used  in  trolling  for  Blue  fish,  and  tlie  other  seventy- 
five  yards  on  another  or  similar  card.  In  the  centre  of  the  line.,  a  flat, 
square  cork,  about  an  inch  thick,  five  inches  wide,  and  of  the  same 
length,  is  secured  to  a  loop  in  the  middle  of  the  cork,  and  made  per- 
fectly staiionary,  but  still  so  secured  that  the  cork  shall  lie  flat  and 
even  on  the  water.  To  twenty  yards,  on  both  sides  of  this  cork,  the 
flies  are  attached — that  is,  three  feet  from  the  cork,  loop  on  the  first 
fly,  anc^so  on,  every  alternate  two  yards,  until  eight  or  nine  flies  are 
looped  on  the  line,  on  each  side  of  the  cork.  The  flies  should  be  the 
usual  lake-flies,  tied  on  twisted,  or  very  strong,  Salmon-gut  of  about  two 
feet  in  length. 

Two  boats  are  of  course  needed.  One  card  is  held  by  the  person 
in  one  boat,  and  the  other  by  him  in  the  second  boat.  The  line  is 
then  stretched  out  as  the  boats  separate,  until  the  hand-fly  is  distant 
about  twenty  yards  from  each  boat.  The  boats  are  slowly  rowed  along, 
in  parallel  lines.  The  line  should  be  kept  taut,  so  that  the  flies  skim 
or  dance  i);i  the  surface  of  the  water.  Each  angler  knows  his  own  fish 
by  the  cork,  and  the  person  holding  the  card  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  cork  has  no  ri^ht  to  kill  the  fish  which  has  been  struck  on  the  side 


IS 

It 

till 


w 


72 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


nearest  to  his  friend.  There  is  much  art  and  tact  necessary  in  this 
kind  of  anglinw.  The  friend  who  is  not  entitled  to  the  fish  has  as 
much  sport,  and  "  work  on  hand,"  as  the  person  in  the  opposita  boat 
— he  must  play  the  fish  with  equal  care — but  the  nicety  is,  in  man- 
aging the  flics.  Suppose  the  fish  has  taken  the  fly  next  the  cork — 
there  are,  then,  say  eight  flies  between  the  angler  and  the  fish.  Two 
modes  can  be  adopted.  Should  the  fish  be  small,  when  the  hand-fly  is 
drawn  to  the  boat,  it  should  be  laid  on  the  side,  with  the  fly  hanging 
about  a  foot  outside  the  boat ;  and  so  or.  with  each  fly,  until  the  fish  is 
captured.  Should  the  fish  be  larg' ,  this  mode  is  dangerous;  for, 
should  the  fish  make  a  violent  run,  ilie  flics  laid  over  the  side  might 
get  fast  in  the  wood,  and  play  the  douce.  To  obviiiie  this,  all  the  flies 
can  be  run  up  on  the  line,  towards  the  fish — that  is,  when  the  first  fly 
comes  to  hand,  run  the  loop  along  the  line  until  it  meets  the  second 
fly,  and  so  on,  until  joii  have  all  the  flies  between  you  and  the  fish,  in, 
as  it  were,  a  heap.  After  the  fl^Ii  is  killed,  a  few  moments  will  suffice 
to  re-arrange  the  tackle. 

Upon  Rackett  Lake,  Long  Lake,  Lake  Piseco,  and  other  large  wa- 
ters, this  mode  of  fishing  would  aiFord  great  amusement ;  and  the  only 
objection  to  it  is,  that  it  is  a  deadly  way  of  capturing  fish.  But  it  is  not 
half  so  bad,  and  is  in  fact  honorable  and  legitimate,  when  contrasted 
with  the  innumerable  "  infernal  machines"  used  for  the  destruction  of 
game  of  all  kinds. 

There  is  an  advantage  in  trolling  which  I  have  omitted.  You  can 
lay  the  trolling-rod  on  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  use  the  fly-rod  for 
casting,  and  thus  "  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone" — troll  with  one  rod, 
and  cast  your  fly  with  the  other.  In  this  way,  I  raised  and  killed  with 
my  light  Trout-rod  many  of  my  best  and  bravest  Brook  Trout. 

I  will  AojQ  this  subject  by  stating,  that  from  the  15th  of  May  to  the 
loth  of  J-'ii<?,  and  from  tho  ist  to  the  20th  of  September,  arc  the  best 
seasons  for  trolling  on  the  lakes  in  Hamilton  county. 

The  "  black  fly  "  seldom  appears  before  the  1st  of  June — he  is  a 
most  infernal  tormentor ;  but  one  consolation  to  the  angler  is,  that, 
unlike  the  mosquito,  he  is  a  sound  sleeper,  and  is  never  seen,  heard,  or 
felt  at  night.  Every  man  going  into  the  woods  should  carry  a  gauze 
net,  sufficiently  large  to  cover  the  hat  and  tie  round  the  neck,  to  pro- 
tect the  face,  cars  and  neck  from  the  black  fly. 


TROLLING    FOR    LAKE    TROUT. 


73 


SET-LINES   FOR    LAKE-FISHING. 

I  HAVE  only  to  add  to  the  above  complete,  and,  I  think,  perfect  de- 
scription of  lake  trolling,  the  following  account  of  the  manner  used  in 
Seneca,  and  many  of  the  other  small  lakes,  for  taking  fish  with  the 
set-line. 

It  is  not  a  sporting,  but  it  is  a  very  killing  way  of  taking  fish ;  and 
there  is  some  fun,  after  all  said  and  done,  in  making  a  haul. 

First,  the  set-line  is  baited  with  live  Minnows,  Shiners,  or — best — 
Lake  Herring,  Coregonus  Artedi.  Anchor  one  end  of  the  lino  firmly 
near  the  shore,  in  fifteen  feet  water ;  thence  run  directly  out  into  the 
lake  from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  two  miles,  with  a  very  strong  hempen 
cord,  having  short  whip-cord  bait-lines,  with  hooks  armed  on  gimp 
attached  at  every  sixteen  feet ;  the  depth  varying  from  twenty-five  to 
five  hundred  feet. 

The  same  method  is  much  used  in  Scotland,  and  off  the  coast  of 
Newfoundland,  for  deep-sea  fishing,  and  with  immense  success ;  the 
bait  there  being  the  Herring  proper,  or  Capeliu,  and  the  depth  from 
ten  to  fifty  fathoms. 

In  the  British  Provinces  this  deep-sea  line  is  known  as  the  "  bul- 
tow." 

Whether  for  lake  or  deep-sea  fishing,  this  is  a  very  dlrly,  laborious, 
unscientific,  and  unsporting  mode  of  killing  fish ;  and  thcie  is  nothing 
to  recommend  it  but  the.  immensity  of  pot  to  which  it  ministers. 


^ 


r ■ ' — 

.'-•"*.' 

■   • 

74 

AMERICAN    FISHES. 

>■. 

ARTIFICIAL  FLIES. 


(See  Frontispiece  to  Supplement.) 


The  superiority  of  "  fly-fishing"  over  every  other  mode  of  angling, 
cannot  be  questioned,  even  by  the  most  ardent  admirer  of  the  float  or 
ground-bait.  The  imtural  and  acquired  skill  actually  necessary,  be- 
fore any  man  can  throw  a  "  neat  fly,"  is  only  known  to  those  who  have 
made  this  method  of  angling  their  study  and  amusement.  I  believe 
that  no  man  was  ever  made  a  "  fly-fisher"  from  written  instruction. 

The  rudiments  may  be  acquired  from  books  ;  but  a  practical  know- 
ledge of  the  art  can  only  be  acquired  by  patience,  perseverance,  and 
good  temper.  All  works  on  angling  contain  something  on  the  subject ; 
and  if  my  angling  friends  do  not  find  suflicicnt  instruction  in  my  "  Fish 
and  Fishing,"  they  must  be  content  to  begin  with  old  Isaak,  and  travel 
down  to  the  last  authority. 

It  is  extremely  difiicult,  if  not  impossible,  to  present  a  correct  and 
satisfactory  list  of  artificial  Trout  flies.  Every  angler  has  his  own 
favorite  fly,  particularly  if  he  is  in  the  habit  of  fishing  in  one  particular 
pond  or  stream.  The  fly  which  may  be  found  most  killing  on  Stump 
Pond,  may  not  stir  a  fish  in  the  adjoining  water. 

In  1848,  the  "  ibis"  was  all  the  rage  in  Stump  Pond  ;  it  wa3  wholly 
worthless  at  Spoonk  and  Mauritchez.  The  accompanying  plate  con- 
tains flies  of  acknowledged  merit,  and  generally  used  in  the  waters  of 
this  State  ;  and  I  feel  assured,  from  my  own  experience,  as  well  as  from 
the  accounts  of  others,  that  no  angler  can  be  at  fault  when  his  book 
is  supplied  with  flies  of  the  character  described  in  the  drawing. 

I  am  indebted  to  Thomas  Finnegan,  of  this  city,  for  much  valuable 
information  in  relation  to  the  exact  colors  used  in  making  the  follow- 
ing described  flies  ;  and  indeed  the  greater  number  of  them  have  been 
preparoil  1)y  him,  and  the  coloring  arranged  under  his  supervision. 

By  turning  to  the  plates,  and  number  of  each  fly,  the  reader  will, 


ARTIFICIAL    FLIES. 


75 


from  the  following  description,  see  the  material  of  which  it  is  com- 
posed, its  color,  quality  and  peculiar  character.  i 

No.  1.  Red  Palmer  Hackle. —  Body — Dark  red  colored  mohair, 
ribbed  with  gold  or  silver  twist.  Hackle — Of  the  red  cock,  worked 
with  red  silk.     Hook — No.  5,  6,  or  7.  " 

No.  2.  Peacock  Palmer  Hackle. — Body — A  full  fibre  of  pea- 
cock herl.  Hackle — Of  a  dusky  red  cock,  worked  with  red  silk. 
iZboA— No.  5,  or  6. 

No.  3.  Black  Silver  Palmer  Hackle. — Body — a  fibre  from  a 
black  ostrich  feather,  ribbed  with  silver  twist.  Hackle — Black,  wrap- 
ped over  the  whole  body  with  black  silk  for  fastenings.  Hook — No. 
5,  6,  or  7. 

No.  4.  Yellow  Palmer  Hackle. — The  body  is  made  of  white 
hackle  dyed  yellow.    The  hackle  of  yellow  silk.  Hook — No.  .3,  6,  or  7. 

No.  5.  Black  Palmer  Hackle. — The  body  of  black  ostrich's 
herl,  wrapped  with  a  black  cock's  hackle.     Hook — No.  5,  6,  or  7. 

No.  (k  Black  Palmer  Hackle  Ribbed  with  Gold. —  The  body 
of  peacock's  herl,  wrapped  with  a  black  cock's  hackle,  and  ribbed  with 
gold  twist.     Hook — No.  5,  6,  or  7. 

The  flies  from  No.  1  to  6,  inclusive,  which  I  style  "  Palmer  hackles," 
are  known  to  every  "  fly-fisher"  as  most  cff"ective  in  taking  Trout ;  and 
as  they  are  intended  to  represent  the  larva)  or  caterpillars  of  flies,  as 
well  as  some  of  the  insects  themselves,  it  is  evident  that  their  size  and 
color  may  be  varied.  In  angling  vocabulary,  the  terms  "  black  hackle," 
"red  hackle,"  &c.,  are  almost  invariably  applied  to  all  flies  of  the 
above  character  ;  and  it  may  be,  that  the  above  addition  of  the  term 
"  Palmer,"  may  be  deemed  by  many  good  sportsmen  to  be  an  innova- 
tion upon  old-established  angling  phraseology.  I  know  that  criticism 
should  be  avoided  in  the  use  of  fly-fishing  terms,  which  every  man 
knows  cannot  be  justified  by  any  literary  rule  ;  but  some  angling  terms 
are  so  glaringly  absurd  and  contradictory,  that  it  seems  to  me  actually 
necessary  to  correct  evident  inconsistencies,  when  such  corrections  do 
not  confound  or  mystify  that  piscatory  learning  which  time  has,  as  it 
were,  authorised  as  an  angling  alphabet 


76 


AMERICAN    FISIIKS. 


In 


ral  works 


n  angling,  tlio  term  **  linoklo"  ia  variously  ap- 
plied. Wo  find  it  synonymous  with  "  paluior/'  whicii  expresses  an 
artificial  fly  and  a  caterpillar.  Wo  find  instructions  to  prepare  tlio 
"  hackle"  to  make  the  fly ;  and  again,  wo  are  instructed  to  fish  with  a 
"hackle"  or  a  "palmer."  'I'hus  the  angler  is  confounded.  The 
"  hackle"  is  at  one  moment  a  feather,  and  at  the  next  a  fly— the  fly  of 
one  angler  is  the  hackle  of  another  ;  a  hackle  is  nothing  more  than  tho 
feather  of  a  bird,  and  a  portion  of  tho  material  which  composes  the 
palmer. 

There  is  also  some  apparent  inconsistency  in  the  use  of  the  terra 
"  palmer  fly."  The  term  "  palmer,"  as  I  understand  it,  is  only  appli- 
cable when  speaking  of  the  "  palmer  worm  ;"  but  as  this  worm  is  des- 
tined to  become  a  winged  insect,  the  term  "  palmer  fly"  or  "  palmer 
hackle "  is,  according  to  my  notion,  a  more  expressive  term  than 
"  hackle"  or  "  palmer"  alone.  The  palmer  is  tho  insect  represented 
— the  hackle  is  the  material  to  form  the  representation. 

The  foregoioj;  few  general  remarks  I  have  deemed  necessary — not 
from  any  desire  to  infringe  upon  old  and  perhaps  well-established 
names,  but  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  others  to  examine  the  subject. 

A  little  research  upon  this  apparently  unimportant  matter  led  mo 
into  a  labyrinth,  from  which  I  have  with  difficulty  escaped  ;  and  I  am 
by  no  means  assured  that  my  views  may  not  increase  the  mystification 
of  our  angling  vocabulary. 

No.  7.  Green  Drake  or  May  Fly. —  Wiiigs — The  mottled 
feather  of  the  mallard  dyed  yellow,  to  stand  rather  erect  and  divided. 
Body — Yellow  mohair,  ribbed  with  peacock's  herl  and  orange  silk. 
Legs — Red  ginger  hackle,  lail  forked  with  two  or  three  hairs. 
Hook — No.  5,  e,  or  7. 

There  are  other  modes  of  dressing  this  fly,  but  I  prefer  the  above. 

No.  8.  Gray  Drake. —  Wings — The  gray  feather  of  a  mallard,  if 
not  too  dark,  to  stand  erect.  Head — A  morsel  of  peacock's  harl. 
Body — Fine  down  from  a  white  pig,  light  gray  camlet,  or  whitish  gray 
ostrich  herl,  striped  with  deep  maroon  silk.  Tail  forked  with  two  or 
three  gray  hairs.     Legs — A  grizzled  hackle.     Hook — No  5,  6,  or  7. 


The  green  or  gray  drake  is  not,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  an  American 


AnriFICIAl.    FLIES. 


77 


fly  ;  Htill  I  Imvo  found  both  to  bo  killing  flies,  from  the  middle;  of  May 
to  tho  cluso  of  Juno.  Every  iinglor  who  Iiuh  fislicd  in  Euglund  and 
Ireland  knows  of  their  surprisingly  attractive  nuulitiss  ;  and  that  during 
the  "green  drake  month"  the  Trout  reject  every  kind  of  artificial  and 
uatural  bait,  for  tho  "green  or  gray  drake  ;"  and  that  at  no  period  of 
tho  Trout  season  arc  tho  fish  so  powerful,  vigorous,  and  fino-flavcrcd 
as  when  this  apparently  luxurious  and  sanative  food  appears  on  tho 
streams  and  lakes. 

If  I  am  correct  ii.  iug  that  it  is  not  an  American  fly,  and  conse- 
quently not  an  imit  i  >>i'  any  existing  American  insect,  and  that  it 
is  still  a  killing  artiticial  bait  on  American  waters,  then  tho  position 
taken  by  some  of  the  best  anglers  will  hold  to  bo  truo,  that  for  tho 
purpose  of  successful  fly-fishing,  it  is  unnecessary  to  imitate  the  natu- 
ral insect. 

It  is  necessary  to  Scay  a  word  in  relation  to  the  mode  of  casting  with 
those  flies.  Tho  green  drake  is  thrown  in  the  usual  way ;  but  the 
action  of  the  gray  drake  being  entirely  different  from  tho  grcon,  tho 
same  mode  of  casting  will  not  answer.  Unlike  tho  green  drako,  tho 
gray  drake  does  not  rest  on  the  water.  His  light  on  the  water  is  mo- 
mentary— "no  sooner  on  than  o^."  Therefore,  tho  artificial  gray 
drake  should  bo  thrown  right  over  the  Trout,  and  then  lifted  so  as  to 
imitate  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  natural  fly. 

No.  9.  The  Cow-dung  Fly. —  Wings — The  feather  of  a  landrail, 
dressed  a  little  longer  than  the  body,  to  lie  flat  on  the  back.  Body — • 
Yellow  wool,  with  a  little  brown  fur,  to  give  the  body  a  dirty  orango 
color ;  the  body  tolerably  full.  Legs — Ginger  hackle,  same  color  as 
the  body.     Hook — No.  6,  7,  or  8. 

This  is  my  favorite  fly.  As  a  standard  and  universal  fly-bait  for 
Trout,  I  think  that  the  Cow-dung  should  stand  "A.  No.  1."  It  is  not 
much  known  to  American  anglers,  and  is  rarely  used  on  American 
waters. 

The  origin  of  the  fly  is  not  aquatic.  It  is  found  on  the  excrement 
of  animals,  particularly  on  that  of  the  cow.  In  windy  weather  it  is 
blown  from  the  land  to  the  water  ;  and  no  bait  is  more  greedily  seized 
by  the  Trout.  In  March  and  April  I  use  it  as  a  tail-fly  ;  in  May  and 
June  as  a  dropper  ;  and  in  July  and  August  as  a  hand-fly.     I  regulate 


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78 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


the  size  of  the  fly  according  to  the  state  of  Ihe  wind  and  water.  There 
are  few  flies  so  frequently  murdered  in  dressing  as  the  "cow-dung;" 
and  there  is  no  fly  in  the  whole  list  which  requires  more  care  in  shape 
and  color. 

No.  10.  The  !Bee-Fly. — Wings-^  Feather,  the  pigeon's  wing, 
dark.  Body — Chenil  of  various  colors,  arranged  in  stripes  in  the 
following  order :  black,  white,  light  yellow,  white,  black,  white.  Legs 
— Light  black  hackle. 

No.  11.  The  Black  Gnat. — Wings — Pale  starling  feather,  or 
hen  blackbird.  Body — Black  ostrich  herl,  or  black  worsted.  Hook 
—No.  9,  or  10. 

This  fly  is  generally  dressed  short  and  thick,  as  represented  in  the 
plate,  and  is  classed  among  the  "  midge  flies."  In  summer,  when  the 
water  is  clear  and  low,  it  is  a  good  fly.  In  cloudy  weather  it  may  be 
used  through  the  day ;  but  in  bright  days,  it  is  only  useful  in  the  morn- 
ing and  evening. 

No.  12.  Hare's  Ear. — Body — Fur  from  a  hare's  ear.  Wings — 
Feather  of  a  starling's  wing.  Legs — Ginger  cock's  hackle.  Hook — 
No.  6,  7,  or  8.  , 

From  the  first  to  the  last  day  of  the  Trout  season,  I  have  found  this 
fly  to  be  a  good  killer  and  a  favorite  bait.  It  is  not  generally  known 
to  the  American  angler.  Finnegan,  before  referred  to,  can  tie  this 
fly  to  perfection.     I  prefer  to  use  it  as  a  dropper. 

> 

No.  13.  TheCock-tail. —  Wings — The  bright  feather  of  a  snipe's 
wing.  Body — Yellow  mohair.  Legs  — Light  black  hackle.  Tail 
forked  with  two  long  hairs. 

Let  the  angler  try  this  fly,  and  then  judge  of  its  quality.  I  in- 
clude it  in  the  list,  because  a  friend  has  given  it  a  good  character. 

No.  14.    The  "Whirling  Dun." — Body — Blue  fur  and  light 

brown  mohair,  wrapped  with  yellow  silk.     Wings — Snipe's  feather, 

or  the  pale  feather  of  a  dun-colored  bird.     Legs — Blue  cock's  hackle. 

The  tail  of  two  hairs  from  a  light-colored  mufiF. 

'      This  fly  lakes  its  name  from  the  whirling  manner  of  its  flight.     It 


ARTIFICIAL    FLIES. 


79 


K 


can  be  used  with  success,  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  first  fortnight 
in  July.     With  a  good  breeze,  it  is  a  killing  fly. 

No.  15.  The  Kingdom  Fly. —  Wings — A  woodcock's  feather. 
Body — White  silk,  striped  with  green.  Legs — Red  cock's  hackle. 
Hook. — No.  6,  7,  or  8. 

No.  16.  The  "  White  Gnat." — Wings—A.  small  white  feather. 
Body — White  silk.     Legs — Red  cock's  hackle.  * 

This  is  a  delicate  fly,  and  will  kill  in  the  evening  of  the  summer 
months.  ,       .  , 

No.  17.  The  "  Blue  Dun." — V^ings— From  the  blue  part  under 
the  wing  of  a  male  widgeon  ;  to  stand  erect.  Body — Blue  fur  from 
the  water-rat  or  squirrel.  Blue  mohair  may  be  substituted  for  fur,  if 
the  true  shade  of  the  natural  fly  cannot  be  procured.  Legs — A  very 
fine  hackle,  as  near  the  color  of  the  body  as  possible.  Wkisks — Two 
blue  hairs. 

It  is  extremely  diflicult  to  procure  the  feather  of  the  exact  color  of 
the  natural  fly,  or  sufficiently  delicate  for  the  wings  o£  this  midge-Jly. 
It  is  a  good  fly  early  in  the  season. 

No.  18.  The  "Red  Ant." — Wings — Light  starling's  feather. 
Body — Peacock's  herl  made  thick  at  the  tail,  and  a  ginger  hackle  for 
legs. 

In  warm,  gloomy  weather,  without  electric  clouds,  ant-flies  are  kill- 
ing baits  during  the  day ;  but  they  are  nearly  useless  as  a  morning  or 
evening  fly. 

No.  19.  The  "  Gold  Spinner." — Body — Orange  silk,  ribbed  with 
gold  twist.     Wings — Starling's  feather.    Legs — Red  hackle. 
From  June  to  the  middle  of  July,  this  is  a  good  general  fly. 

No.  20.  The  "  White  Moth." — Wings — The  feather  of  a  white 
owl.  Body — White  cotton,  and  a  white  cock's  hackle  wrapped  round 
the  body. 

This  is  a  night  fly,  and  should  be  used  in  a  dark,  gloomy  night.  It 
requires  an  exporiencod  hand  to  fish  successfully  with  this  fly.  The 
moment  the  rise  of  the  fish  is  heard,  the  angler  should  instantly  strike. 


80 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


Between  9  and  12  o'clock,  one  night  in  the  month  of  July,  1847,  1 
took  eleven  handsome  fiah  with  a  "  white  moth."  Care  should  bo 
taken  in  the  selection  of  your  fishing  ground.  A  position  free  from 
all  obstruction  is  indispensable,  to  insure  either  pleasure  or  success. 

No.  21.   The   "Governor." — Wings — A  woodcock's  feather. 
Body — A  peacock's  herl,  tied  with  orange  silk. 
This  is  a  good  fly  in  June  and  July. 

No.  22.  The  "  March  Brow ji.^^— Wings — Mottled  feather  from  a 
partridge's  tail,  set  upright.  Body — Light  hair  and  red  squirrel's  fur, 
mixed.  Legs — a  grizzled  hackle.  Tail  Whisks — Two  hairs,  reddish 
brown. 

This  fly,  like  a  great  many  others,  is  known  by  various  names.  I 
believe  that  in  Wales,  it  is  called  the  "  cob-fly."  In  Ireland,  it  is 
called  the  "  caughlan ;"  and  in  that  country  it  is  highly  prized  as  a 
superior  fly.  Some  good  anglers  make  the  body  of  hare's  ear  and 
yellow  worsted.  I  have  not  found  it  to  be  a  killing  fly  on  Long  Island, 
although  ip  some  streams  in  Connecticut,  it  did  good  service  in  the 
month  of  April  i- 

No.  23.  The  Stone-Fly. — Wings — A  mottled  feather  of  the  hen 
pheasant,  or  the  dark  gray  feather  of  the  mallard,  inclined  to  red — to 
be  dressed  rather  long.  Body — Dark  brown  fur,  or  the  dark  part  of 
a  hare's  ear,  mixed  with  yellow  camlet  or  mohair.  Legs — A  few  laps 
of  a  grizzled  cock's  hackle  ;  and  in  the  finishing,  two  dark  hairs  arc 
frequently  used  for  the  antennae,  or  feelers. 

The  angling  history  of  this  fly  is  full  of  interest ;  but  as  I  merely 
propose  to  give  a  list  of  such  flics  as  experience  justifies  me  in  recom- 
mending, together  with  a  statement  of  the  materials,  colors,  &c  ,  of 
which  they  are  formed,  I  will  in  this  place  simply  refer  my  readers  to 
the  account  given  by  Cotton,  of  this  fly ;  but  I  cannot  refrain  from 
expressing  my  unqualified  dissent  from  the  remarks  in  the  "  North 
Country  Angler,"  in  relation  to  the  natural  history  of  this  fly ;  and  it 
is  to  me  a  matter  of  astonishment,  that  Mr.  Daniel,  in  his  great  work 
which  treats  on  fishing,  has  fallen  into  great  error  in  reference  to  the 
stone-fly. 


ARTIFICIAL    FLIES. 


0 


k 


No.  24.  The  Willow-Fly. —  Wings — A  dark  grizzled  cock's 
hackle.     Body — Blue  squirrel's  fur,  mixed  with  yellow  mohair. 

This  fly  appears  very  late  in  the  season,  and  is  a  favorite  with  some 
good  anglers. 

I  have  thus  gone  through  the  catalogue  or  list  of  flies  in  the  colored 
plate,  but  I  do  not  desire  to  be  understood  as  intimating  that  this  list 
contains  a  specimen  of  all  the  best  killing  flies. 

Every  angler  has  his  own  peculiar  notion  in  regard  to  the  best  fly ; 
and  the  difficulty  of  presenting  a  perfect  catalogue,  will  be  very  appa- 
rent, when  it  is  considered  that  there  are  upwards  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  flies  which  compose  the  list  of  various  writers ;  and  as  the 
name  of  the  fly  of  one  writer  bears  a  diff"crent  name  and  description 
from  that  of  another,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  name  and  de- 
scription of  some  of  the  flies  in  my  list  may  not  be  in  accordance  with 
the  views  and  opinions  of  many  old  and  experienced  anglers. 

It  is  a  mooted  question  among  the  very  best  "  fly-fishers,"  whether 
an  exact  representation  of  the  living  insect,  is  necessary  to  insure  suc- 
cess in  angling  with  the  fly.  The  Scotch  flies  are  not  imitations  of 
liviiig  insects ;  and  the  best  anglers  in  that  country  maintain  the 
opinion  that  it  is  absolutely  useless  and  unnecessary  to  imitate  any  in- 
sect, either  winged  or  otherwise  ;  and  1  find  that  Professor  Wilson  ad- 
vocates the  inutility  of  such  imitations. 

Professer  Rennie  says  that  "  the  aim  of  the  angler  ought  to  be,  to 
have  his  artificial  fly  calculated,  by  its  form  and  colors,  to  attract  the 
notice  of  the  fish  ;  in  which  case  he  has  a  much  greater  chance  of  suc- 
cess, than  by  making  the  greatest  efforts  to  imitate  any  particular  spe- 
cies of  fly." 

The  opinion  of  such  authorities  tends  to  shake  old  settled  notions  ; 
and  although  I  invariably  endeavor,  when  dressing  a  fly,  to  imitate  the 
living  insect,  still  I  have  seen  nondescript  flies  beat  all  the  palmer 
hackles,  and  the  most  life-like  flies  that  ever  graced  a  casting-line. 

I  shall  leave  the  subject  where  I  found  it — in  doubt — trusting  that 
some  more  experienced  hand,  and  lover  of  the  art,  will,  ere  long,  en- 
lighten the  angling  community,  not  only  upon  this  branch  of  the  sub- 
ject, but  upon  the  "fly"  in  general.  Every  distinct  insect  has  a 
history  full  of  interest  and  instruction ;  and  although  some  valuable 


83 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


treatises  havo  been  published,  which  depict  the  insects  and  their  types 
in  their  natural  colors,  still  a  compilation  of  all  that  is  instructive,  with 
such  additional  information  as  research  and  experience  may  procure, 
would  make  a  volume  of  deep  interest  to  the  naturalist  and  the  angler. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SALMON  AND  LAKE  TROUT  FLIES. 

Plate  to  face  page  334—  body  of  work. 

I'  ■ 

The  Salmon  Flies  three  in  number.  Upper  row,  from  left  to 
right.         -,:'":' 

Largest  Fly,  No.  1. — Blue  worsted  head  ;  black  hackle  body, 
with  silver  thread ;  upper  wings,  speckled  turkey ;  broad  wing,  bright 
golden  pheasant ;  green  peacock  hcrls,  blue-jay  and  red  hackle  legs ; 
bird  of  paradise  tail ;  scarlet-dyed  antennae. 

Middle  FLT.--Red  worsted  head ;  rufFed  grouse  hackle  and  blue- 
geai  wings ;  green  peacock  herl ;  red  hackle  body ;  ruffed  grouse 
hackle  legs ;  orange  silk  tuft ;  bird  of  paradise  tail ;  blue  macaw  an- 
tennae. 

Third  Fly. — Green  peacock  harl  head ;  speckled  turkey  and  blue 
geai  wings,  with  copper  peacock's  herl ;  red  hackle  legs  ;  blue  floss- 
silk  body ;  bird  of  paradise  tail. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  LAKE  TROUT  FLIES. 

Plate  to  face  page  334— body  of  work. 

*  Left-hand  Fly,  Lower  Row,  No.  2. — Black  floss  silk  head; 
brown  peacock's  wing ;  red  hackle  legs ;  copper  peacock's  herl  body ; 
orange  worsted  tuft. 


ARTIFICIAL    FLIES. 


83 


Right-hand. — Blue  worsted  head;  ruffed  grouse  upper  wings; 
golden  pheasant  under  witigs ;  brown  cock's  hackle  legs ;  pink  silk 
body,  with  gold  twist ;  bird  of  paradise  tail ;  green  peacock's  herl  an- 
tennae. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  TROUT  FLIES.  t 

To  face  page  253— body  of  work. 

Upper  Row,  first  Fly  to  left-hand. — Black  cock's  hackle, 
dark  blue  worsted  body. 

Second. — Scarlet  ibis  wings ;  scarlet  silk  body ;  silver  twist. 

Third. — Green  peacock's  herl  wings  ;  ruffed  grouse  hackle  legs; 
orange  silk  body ;  green  peacock  herl  tuft. 

Fourth — Cock  a  bondhu  hackle  ;  red  silk  body  ;  silver  thread. 

Fifth. — Cock  a  bondhu  hackle  ;  green  worsted  body. 

Sixth. — White  miller ;  black  silk  head;  white  owl  wings;  white 
ostrich  legs ;  white  chenil  body. 

Second  Row,  first  to  the  left. — Bee. — Gray  pigeon  wings  ; 
black  and  yellow  silk  body. 

Second. — Green  drake  ;    Mallard's  speckled  wing  ;   light  brown 
hackle  legs ;  pale  brown  mohair  body ;  tail,  three  black  horse-hairs. 

Third. — Black  midge  ;  gray  goose  wings;  black  chenil  body. 

Third  Row,  first  to  the  left. — Brown  turkey's  wing  ;  cock  a 
bondhu  hackle  legs ;  red  worsted  body ;  speckled  mallard  tail. 

Second. — Snipe's  wing;  gray  mouse  body;  ruffed  grouse  hackly 
legs  ;  speckled  mallard  tail. 

Fourth  Row,  first  to  the  left. — Yellow  dyed  hackle  wings  ; 
yellow  worsted  body  ;  silver  twist. 

Second. — Furnace  hackles ;  green  worsted  body. 


84 


AMERICAN    FISHES. 


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